What the Heart Wants
by WonderFloof
Summary: Marinette embarrasses herself in front of Adrien, AGAIN, and vents to Chat Noir. Rated M for suggestive imagery.
1. Tongue-tied

Chapter 1:

Marinette shook her head. As usual, Chat had swiftly descended through the window and perched on the bedpost, impossibly comfortable, both feet somehow occupying the few inches of space the small metal knob provided and elbows resting lazily on his knees.

"Chat, I'm not really in the mood," she sighed. She knew it was no use. He was here. He had taken up his spot. He wasn't going anywhere.

"Come now M'lady, you wouldn't kick this poor lonely alley cat out into the cold, cold night, would you?" His best attempt at sad eyes was given away by his signature half-grin. " _Cats suck at puppy-dog eyes,_ " she thought, smiling a little despite herself.

His grin gave way into a snicker, knowing he was victorious. He made a show of "settling in," hopping onto the bed on all fours and wiggling his shoulders a bit before flopping down lazily.

As annoying as Chat could be, his antics had already managed to lift some of the weight of the day from her shoulders. Somehow his visits always had a way of making her feel better. Ever since that day with Evillustrator, he would stop by from time to time. Initially just to "ensure she was OK," (she was pretty sure he was drawn to her fawning fan-girl act upon 'meeting him in real life, OMG!' … he was such a flirt!) but his flippant flirtations quickly evolved into a casual comraderie. The privacy provided by the mask helped them talk openly with one another about topics she wouldn't dare mention to anybody else… except maybe Tikki. He would lament over his unrequited love for a nameless, beautiful but unattainable girl (who she assumed to be Ladybug… poor kitty ) and she would lay bare her feelings for a nameless, kind but distant boy, …Adrien.

She collapsed backward on the bed with a heavy sigh, staring at the now-blank ceiling that had until recently been occupied by a particularly revealing poster of the blonde model.

" _Adrien…"_ she thought, staring at the empty space. _"Why did he have to be so_ perfect? _So sweet and gentle, so caring, and so - so gorgeous! And so, so out of your league."_

"What's on your mind, Purr-incess?" Chat prodded her teasingly, attempting to lighten the mood.

"I blew it, Chat."

This was the day. She had finally decided that she was done pining for Adrien Agreste. It had been two years, and they were barely even friends thanks to her insurmountable awkwardness. A hot blush filled her cheeks as she recalled the events of the day.

* * *

"It's now or never girl! Prom is TOMORROW, and soon after we're gone forever. If you're EVER gonna make a move on Adrien, you gotta do it _now!_ " Alya had exclaimed, pushing her friend forward as the students milled out of the room, talking excitedly in hushed whispers about the up-coming dance.

Marinette dug her heels into the ground (literally; having figuratively done the same thing for years). "Sshh! He'll hear y—"

"ADRIEN! WAIT UP!" Alya yelled, waving her free hand like a lunatic from behind her effectively paralyzed friend.

Adrien had turned to face them just as Marinette's heels met the edge of the step-off between rows of desks that Alya had been insistently pushing her toward. A second too late to regain her footing, Marinette lurched away from her friend's grasp, tumbling over the small step and directly into Adrien's chest.

With surprisingly quick reflexes, he caught her by the shoulders, preventing them both from tumbling backward. A fierce crimson burned her face as she found herself accidentally nuzzling Adrien's shoulder.

" _Mmm he smells so good… like cedar and honey and… fresh air?…"_

"AHH-!" Marinette screamed, reeling backward and flailing her arms a bit."-AH! H-Hi Adrien!" Her recovery was terrible. She offered him a meek smile.

"So! All ready for the big dance tomorrow? You ARE going, right?" Alya prodded Adrien's shoulder playfully.

"Yeah dude!" Nino chimed in, bounding down the stairs toward them. "Alya and I are going, you should totally come!"

Adrien's mind raced. Chloe had been dropping less-than-subtle hints that she intended for them to be Prom Queen and King, going as far as to Photoshop his image onto her campaign posters and threatening the other girls against going to the dance with him. If he went, she wouldn't let him out of her sight all night, to be sure. He could think of nothing he wanted less than to spend an evening with Chloe. Besides, what if Chat Noir was needed? It would be almost impossible to escape the room undetected, with the teachers all paranoid about kids trying to sneak out. He had planned to make an excuse not to go.

"Ah, well…" He rubbed the back of his neck, looking for an excuse. "I don't have a date, due to Chloe's interference, and we're not supposed to go stag you know?" It was a sorry excuse, but it was an excuse. He knew his friends would not even entertain the idea of suggesting he go with Chloe.

"MARINETTE doesn't have a date!" Alya offered, a little too enthusiastically.

If Marinette's face could get redder, it would have.

"Oh, no Alya, th-that's OK," she stuttered, waving her hands in front of her face. Alya drove an elbow into her ribs. "Ah-unless you want to be my date, Adrien?!" She nearly choked on the words. "I mean, not _date_ me, but just the one time—date to the dance, unless you wanted to go out again? B-but not to the dance again, of course!" She clamped her mouth shut.

" _How pathetic!"_ her inner voice berated her. " _You just asked Adrien Agreste, gorgeous model and literal nightly erotic fantasy Adrien-freaking-Agreste, to prom! If he wanted to go with you, he would have asked YOU! STUPID!"_

Adrien's mind tripped over itself. Marinette? To prom? She wasn't going with Nathaniel? Then what was all that nighttime talk to Chat Noir of her dreamy, artistically talented, friendly but sometimes lonely-seeming boy about? Could he seriously be that oblivious?

Suddenly his mind conjured an image of himself and Marinette together, hands clasped and fingers intertwined as they gently swayed to silent music, standing so close their chests touched, her hot breath on his neck. In his imagination, he leaned down and caught her earlobe in his teeth, nipping it gently in a very Chat-like move. Her eyes fluttered shut as a soft sigh escaped her barely-parted lips. He felt goosebumps prick up on his skin, groaning inwardly as tension built in his groin. " _No! Stop!_ " He shook his head, chastising himself and trying to clear the image from his mind before his train of thought became all-too-obvious to the group. " _Why must you think of that sweet girl like that! She's your friend! She's never been anything but kind to you, and all you can think of is—"_

"Oh I gotta go anyway bye!" Marinette's voice, strangely rushed and a little clipped, broke him out of his daydream. He blinked to see her dash out of the room, Alya rushing to catch up with her.

Nino punched him in the arm.

"DUDE! You didn't have to just dismiss her like that!" he exclaimed.

"What? I- I didn't…what?"

* * *

Tears welled in her eyes again as she related the whole episode to Chat.

"He just shook his head." She began to shake slightly, the pain of the memory bubbling to the surface, as she drew her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms around herself. "He couldn't even- just say no. God I'm an idiot …" The tears began to fall.

In an instant, he had her in his arms, trying his best to comfort her as he processed the situation. First that brain-dead dolt Nathaniel doesn't ask her to prom, and then she thinks her group/friend/ back-up date rejected her?! He wrapped his arms more tightly around her, pulling her into him, attempting to make up for the hurt he had caused.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed into him. He fought back tears that threatened to sting his own eyes, furious with himself and that clueless idiot boy _who doesn't know how lucky he_ _is_ for causing his Princess so much anguish. He had the opportunity of a lifetime today, his Marinette was willing to be his 'date' to prom, and he blew it! _How could you be so stupid!_ He hoped it wasn't too late to remedy the situation.

He felt her pull away and he released her, immediately feeling the weight of her absence.

She reached up to wipe the tears away with the back of her hand just as he had reached up to do the same. Their eyes met and locked as he placed a clawed hand ever-so-softly against her damp cheek.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, without a trace of his usual joking lilt.

Her heavy heart fluttered to life like a cleansed akuma-turned-butterfly.

She found herself staring at Chat Noir as if seeing her partner for the first time. Her partner, who was always there for her, both as Marinette and as Ladybug, literally risking his life to protect hers (her heart throbbed again as her memory flashed to an image of him, crouched in a protective hug, fading into non-existence after jumping in the way of an attack from Timebreaker meant for Ladybug)… making silly jokes to see her smile, listening for hours as she poured her soul out over a silly crush, was… _beautiful._ His eyes, so green behind the mask, seemed to engulf her. Her gaze trailed over his muscular chest and shoulders, beautifully defined by taught black leather. The flirtatious, pun-happy jokester way gone, replaced by-

"Chat…"

In an instant they were on each other. Neither certain who moved first, her lips crashed into his as he brought his other hand to cup her face. Hungry for her, he flicked his tongue across her lips, begging for entry. She accepted with fervor, wrapping her tongue around his before playfully biting his bottom lip.

"Marinette…" He gasped her name, and she felt her heart explode.

Her hands threaded through his silken hair as he dove for her neck, planting several kisses there before gently nibbling her earlobe. She felt his lips, now pressing kisses into her jawline, pull into a playful smile as he lifted her into his lap so that she was straddling him. Heat erupted from her groin as it came into contact with his, reflexively thrusting forward as her heat came into contact with his undeniable desire for her, straining against the soft leather of his suit. Her fingers tightened in his hair as she pulled his head into her neck, a passionate moan erupting from her chest.

" _Ah-Adrien!"_

Chat froze instantly.


	2. The reveal

Chapter 2:

 _NO_. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, willing away the last few seconds of her life.

 _NO!. Nononono This is not happening!_

Her heart pounded painfully against her ribs. What could she do? What could she possibly say to make this OK? _Why was Adrien even still in her head?!_ She was absolutely, without a doubt, completely caught up in the wonder that was Chat Noir: his lips, his tongue, his kisses, his… _him._

" _Mari…"_

Oh god the way he said her name. No longer heavy with emotion, desire, _need_ … Now… unsure. Fearful, hesitant. Breaking.

With one word, she had driven a knife into his heart. Her sweet protector, her light-hearted and flirtatious companion… their easy relationship that she had come to treasure was gone forever. If she had his Cataclysm power, she would seriously consider using it in that moment to take herself out of existence.

Her chest burned. She had forgotten to breathe. As her chest recoiled in a sharp inhale, she felt the weight of his head, still resting on her—

 _She was still holding his head against her neck!_

Her eyes popped open in an instant. Her fingers, still entwined in his hair, held firm. She forcibly released her fingers, knowing that this would likely be the last time she would touch him. _Oh God but how she wanted him… Why did she have to say-_

"Oh, Chat… I…" she quietly pleaded.

Her eyes sank from the ceiling like cold honey sliding down the side of a jar. As they came to rest on his golden head, her eyes widened as she realized she had called him by the wrong name _twice_ in the span of a minute. His perfectly disheveled hair was now devoid of the two leather triangles identifying him as Chat Noir. He had de-transformed! She had _literally_ destroyed him. Her Chat was gone.

Her hands began to shake as, now released from her iron grip, his head began to lift.

As if in slow motion, his eyes came into view, gazing at her from under blonde bangs.

Not the glowing green orbs twinkling with mischievousness of Chat Noir, but the piercing emerald irises of Adrien Agreste.

* * *

Adrien was frozen in shock.

She had said his name. Not Chat Noir, his _real_ name.

" _Mari…"_ He didn't know what to say to her. What was she thinking? How long had she known?

Plagg had tumbled out of his ring, disoriented and confused, leaving him painfully exposed. Even though she apparently knew his true identity, he longed for the security offered by Chat Noir's mask.

"Oh, Chat… I…" she had whispered. But it was too late. She _knew_.

He inhaled her scent deeply, longingly, and forced himself to meet her eyes.

Beautiful, bluebell eyes, wide with an unvoiced question. He searched them, swam in their depths, trying to memorize their specific shade of blue, to remember this moment for a lifetime. And he was lost.

"A-Adrien?"

His name came to his ears again, a whispered question. Like bells dancing in his soul. He brought his hand to her face again, this time no glove to serve as a barrier between them, allowing him to feel the softness of her skin, the heat of her blush….

"Please…. Say it again." He heard himself speak the words before he said them, as if they had materialized on their own in his voice. His eyes pleaded to her, his soul called to her. There was nothing he needed more in that moment than to hear her speak his name, one more time. The rest be damned. He needed it, more than air. He needed her to accept him, to _see_ Adrien, to want him the way she had wanted her masked superhero moments before. He had opened himself to her, even if accidentally, and he _needed—_

"Adrien…"

She repeated his name again, trying to convince herself that it was real. He was really here. He was really Chat Noir. ADRIEN was CHAT NOIR. Her fantasy crush and her reliable hero were one and the same. AND he had _kissed_ her!

As she spoke his name again, a fire sparked to life in his dazzling green eyes; a heat that took her breath away and made her heart race. If he had asked for her heart in that moment, she felt it would leap out of her throat and into his hands on its own accord. Slowly, purposefully, he was guiding her toward him again, into the depths of those burning green eyes. Just before their lips met, he paused. She heard his shaky breath as he inhaled, mere inches from her. His scent washed over her; _Cedar… honey… and the night._ Overcome with a rush of courage usually reserved for her superheroine side, she claimed his waiting lips in a gentle kiss.

He was at war with himself. Shaking slightly as he returned her tender kiss, tasting her soft, sweet lips as if for the first time, he at once wanted to run away and to become one with her. He longed to give her everything of himself and to possess her, to protect her from the world and to ravish her, to be shy and respectful Adrien Agreste and daring seductive Chat Noir… and he didn't trust his resolve to suppress the very animal-like desire growing in him.

Breaking the kiss and forcing himself to part with her, he called out: "Plagg, claws out!" drawing the still-reeling kwami back into his miraculous.

"I guess the Chat's out of the bag, then?" He conjured all of Chat's confidence, striving to sound as nonchalant as possible as he stood and stretched, turning away from her and moving toward the window in an attempt to hide the physical evidence of her effect on him. _She kissed him as Adrien!_ He needed to calm down. He had to process this with a clear head. She _knew_.

Her mind was blank. All she could do was stare at him as he stretched, so fluid in his movements, again clad in tight black leather as Chat Noir. She felt drawn to him in a way she had never felt toward anyone before. She would have gone after him if her jelly-like legs could have supported her. Instead, she just watched him, mesmerized, as a dazed smile crept across her face.

He glanced back at her then, still avoiding facing her in his current state, Chat's signature grin lighting up his face, and winked.

"Good night, Princess." He called to her as he leapt from the window, in a sweet, sincere tone that was all Adrien.


	3. That night

NOTE: M-rated content in this chapter

Chapter 3:

Marinette absent-mindedly grazed her lips with her fingertips for what must have been the 100th time as she sat cross-legged on her bed, staring blankly at the glossy magazine image of Adrien taped to the wall.

 _Adrien was Chat Noir…_

… _and Chat Noir had kissed her._

She had spent the majority of the night struggling with these two seemingly simple facts. Tikki had tired of her repetitive mumbling and gone to bed hours ago. Marinette wasn't sure if she would ever sleep again. Could Adrien really be Chat Noir, or did she just… hallucinate the whole thing? It's true, Adrien always seemed to disappear before Chat Noir arrived, but - hadn't they been in the same room before? Chat was with her taking on the Horrificator when Adrien was stuck in goo… or was he? He had called out to confirm he was there, but she never actually _saw_ him. Wait, Pixelator had digitized Adrien and Chloe; she remembered seeing their picture hanging on Vincent's wall, and Chat had helped her in that fight!… but only after she had convinced Pixelator to release half of his victims. Had she been so focused on finding excuses for her own mysterious absences that she had missed Adrien doing the same thing?

 _Adrien was Chat Noir…_

But Chat Noir had become Marinette's confidant. They had spent countless hours talking, goofing off, commiserating heartaches, sharing happy moments. Chat was always quick to lighten her mood with a joke and a smile. _His smile_. That silly smirk that was goofy and cocky at the same time, always accompanied by certain glint in his eyes like he was amused by a private joke. She smiled and blushed slightly as the image she had conjured of him in her head lifted his eyebrows twice in quick succession and winked, as if in light-hearted flirtation.

… _and Chat Noir had kissed her._

Her lips parted against her fingertips as she remembered the kiss. Her blush deepened as a wonderful warmth engulfed her. _He really was gorgeous… his lean but muscular body moving fluidly beneath supple leather…_ She closed her eyes, remembering the way his insistent tongue had caressed hers, how he tasted, how he had whispered her name…

Her hand trailed down her body as she imagined what it would feel like if Chat were touching her. She curled her fingers slightly so her nails dragged lightly over her breast and down her stomach, simulating the feel of his claws. Her imagination replayed the sensation of his gentle nibble of her ear as her fingers slid under the waistband of her silky pink panties and traced the folds of her private, a shock of cold against the heat that was growing there. The memory of his sweet, seductive smell washed over her as she imagined him again pressing kisses into her neck, a soft moan escaping her as she slid a finger into her opening. Tilting her head toward the ceiling, she instinctively rocked her hips against her hand, causing friction against her quickly swelling clit. The sensation of it quickened her breath and made her head swim pleasantly. In her fantasy, she was straddling her masked hero again, fingers tangled in his tousled blonde hair. She bucked hard against her hand as she remembered his firmness rubbing against her as it strained against the leather of his pants, adding another finger into herself and whimpering in ecstasy as she felt her climax build. As she drove her fingers into herself with a steadily quickening rhythm, she imagined bobbing up and down on Chat's fully exposed member, his clawed hands digging into her back as he moaned her name. She gasped as the building tension exploded in a delicious release as she imagined those fiery green eyes gazing at her from behind a black mask. Adrien's eyes.

 _Adrien was Chat Noir…_

* * *

After leaving Marinette's room, Chat Noir had leapt from building to building, vaulting off bridges and bounding off street lights, without a destination in mind but with energy to burn.

He had never felt like this before. He was overcome with thoughts of Marinette. Her vanilla-kissed scent, the way her bright blue eyes had gazed into his from underneath side-swept blue/black hair, how the color of her cheeks matched the soft pink of her lips when they flourished into a blush… and those _lips_. He hadn't even stopped to think before claiming them as his own, as if her uttering "Chat" was all it took for him to completely lose control. But she had definitely kissed back, he was sure of it! _Marinette had kissed him!_ He rocketed off the stone sidewalk into the air to complete a twisting backflip before landing on the railing of the nearby bridge, immediately sprinting along its length on all fours before leaping into the night again.

But who had she kissed, exactly? She obviously had known Chat was Adrien… had he mistakenly transformed in a place where she had seen him? _When?_ She had been acting very strange around Adrien of late… but that was actually not new at all. While she was always friendly and welcomed his company, she was never as talkative and light-hearted around him as she was with Nino and Alya. And if she felt so closed off from Adrien, why had she opened up to Chat? She must have found out the truth rather recently, he surmised. Is the only reason she kissed him as Chat because she is hiding feelings for Adrien? Maybe it was simpler than that, and she really did just have a fan-girl crush on the hero Chat Noir, with whom she had become friends? Then again, there were girls who "fan-girl"-ed over the fashion model Adrien Agreste, too.

He wasn't sure which was better or worse. Chat Noir was an adopted persona, all flashy and happy-go-lucky and confident. Chat didn't mirror how Adrien truly felt most of the time, but it allowed him to embrace the parts of his personality that his father had deemed unacceptable for "a person of his station." Then again, talking to Marinette as Chat late into the night was when he felt most like himself. Adrien, school mate and friend, did not have the same relaxed and honest relationship that Marinette shared with Chat, although he wished he did. And Adrien Agreste, socialite and 'model of perfection,' was… not him at all.

Landing impossibly softly considering the speed of his descent onto a corner rooftop, Chat glanced around to ensure his privacy before de-transforming to release Plagg.

"Sheesh kid," the exhausted kwami mumbled before his mouth stretched into a large yawn. "You've been running around for hours, maybe give it a rest and get some sleep, huh?"

"Plagg… what do you think I should do?" Adrien asked, staring off into the horizon that was just starting to glow with the first hints of morning.

"I told you already, SLEEP!" came the exasperated reply, as Plagg curled into a ball beside him.

"NO, about Marinette! She kissed me, but… who was she _really_ kissing? Was she kissing the superhero Chat Noir, the model Adrien Agreste, or just Adrien her classmate and friend?" _And which one did he want her to kiss?_ Self-doubt had begun to worm its way into his blissful heart.

"I don't get it… they're all you, so… who cares?" the kwami muttered without even opening his eyes, his tiny form settling into a rhythmic rise and fall as he drifted to sleep.

Adrien sighed and sat down on the roof as the sun began to crest over the horizon. Maybe it didn't matter… he had _actually kissed Marinette_. Looking around, he smiled a bit to himself, realizing that without thinking he had returned to Marinette's home. His eyes coming to rest on a nearby skylight, he couldn't resist crawling over to steal a quick peak into her room, hoping that maybe she was awake too. He wasn't entirely disappointed to see her fast asleep on her bed, her thin tee-shirt riding up to expose her taught stomach and silky pink panties with frilly white lace on the sides. Although he felt his manhood twitch with appreciation at the sight, his mind relished the thought of simply lying beside her, holding her against him as he sank into sleep. She looked content... He wondered if he had left enough of an impression to have earned a place in her dreams.

He yawned, the exhaustion of the night finally catching up to him. Reaching his arms over his head in a stretch that revealed his Chat-side, he settled back against the rooftop, drifting to sleep with the satisfaction of knowing his Marinette was only a few feet away.

* * *

 _Author note: Thank you all for reading and for your support! You've inspired me to draft a LOT more content, and I've got a decent layout for the rest of the story. I hope you like it! Again, thank you for reading! -Floof_


	4. A premonition

Chapter 4:

 _The streets of Paris were painted in shades of gray. A black Cat, head bowed low, wandered lazily down the stone street, rows of featureless buildings rising toward the cloud-laden sky to form dark alleys on either side. A glint of red broke the monochromatic palette: a single Ladybug, flitting out from an unseen hiding place, glided through the ashen landscape before coming to rest on the Cat's nose. The Cat's lime green eyes opened wide, intrigued by this new visitor. Brandishing her wings as if issuing a challenge, the Ladybug took flight again, bobbing and weaving, enticing him to take chase. As the Ladybug danced through the sky, the Cat trotted after her, leaping and swatting as he tried to catch her in his grasp. As they continued their game of chase and dodge, the colors of the city began to emerge: the pinks and purples of the flowers boxes, the honey-golds of the fresh-baked pastries lining storefronts, the soft greens of the tree leaves, the azure blue of the clearing sky._

 _The pair had come upon bench, painted crisp white, and the Ladybug settled on it. With a faint glow, she transformed into a Girl with large crystal-blue eyes, her shoulder-length raven hair pulled into twin pigtails at the nape of her neck, and her blush-pink lips curving into a soft smile. The Cat, uncertain as to what to make of this creature or what had happened to his new friend, looked at the girl quizzically. The Cat's befuddled expression caused the Girl to giggle lightly. The Cat, sensing her friendly nature, leapt onto the bench beside the girl, nuzzling her elbow and emitting a soft purr. The Girl scratched his head, and behind his ears, and his chin, causing the delighted Cat to add a melodic quality to the purr. As she continued to affectionately stroke his ink-black fur, the cat stood on his hind legs to rub his whiskered cheek on the girl's shoulder. As he came to a seated position beside her again, his front paws landing with a soft thud, he became the image of a Boy, tall and lean, with emerald eyes and soft golden hair. The Boy and the Girl looked at each other with adoration._

 _But something was wrong. The Boy's eyebrows knitted in confusion, his eyes revealing a trace of fear. Suddenly, he doubled over in pain, his hands clasped tightly together against his chest. Shuddering for breath, he shakily released his hands, revealing a single rose bloom, deep crimson red, and opening impossibly large to have been contained in his grip moments before. He weakly offered the bloom to the Girl, the color draining from his face. The Girl was reaching for him, tears streaming down her face and her mouth wide in a silent scream, but the world was dissolving away from them, and the Boy was falling, falling into nothingness, his eyes slowly closing as he sank into the darkness._

Master Fu awoke from the dream in a cold sweat. His kwami, Wayzz, floated nearby, watching him with concern. Their eyes met with an unspoken understanding.

"Master," the turtle-like kwami chose his words carefully, "our duty is to protect the miraculouses, not their wielders. Do not forget what happened the last time we tried to intervene in fate's design."

"Yes Wayzz, I know," Master Fu replied solemnly, bowing his head slightly as the image of a beautiful woman, almond-shaped green eyes sparkling and waxen hair falling in soft waves to frame her face, passed through his memory. "The Peacock miraculous was lost." _And what a terrible loss it was…_

"They are strong, Master," Wayzz offered. "You have chosen well."

Master Fu gave a curt nod as he folded his legs under him, pressing his middle fingers into his thumbs and resting his hands in his lap. He believed Wayzz was right. Still, try as he might to clear his mind in meditation, he could not rid himself of the feeling that something very dark was looming, preparing to strike.

* * *

Marinette raced toward the school, her mother having awoken her from a deep sleep only moments before… and an hour _after_ her alarm had started to go off.

She had no idea what she would say to Adrien. She had intended to come up with something clever, maybe a little flirtatious but not overly so, so she could gauge his reaction. After all, Chat had openly expressed his love for Ladybug from the very beginning, and he had never made similar gestures to _Marinette._ And he had left in a bit of a hurry… maybe he was regretting the whole thing? It had happened so suddenly…

But noooo, instead of planning out how to face the boy that she had drooled over for years and kinda-accidentally made out with so she wouldn't make a fool of herself, she had spent the night reveling in Chat Noir's ( _Adrien's!)_ kiss and… other things.

Flushed and out of breath from running (and her own provocative thoughts), she came barreling into the classroom moments before the bell rang.

"—didn't mean to say no, it was all, like, a ginormous misunderstanding," Nino was relating to Alya, brandishing 4 tickets to the prom. "He actually seemed kinda psyched at the idea after you guys left!"

"Well what do you know, just in time!" Alya beamed as Marinette entered the room with all the grace of a one-woman stampede, snatching two tickets from Nino's grasp and waving one in Marinette's direction. "It looks like _someone_ found herself a prom date!"

Marinette's face went pale as her eyes darted around the room. She wasn't ready for this! Was it too late to run away?!

"I-Is he h-here—?" Marinette cleared her throat. "I mean, you talked to Adrien? He said he would-? W-with ME?" Marinette stammered again.

Nino scratched his head. "Actually I don't think he came in yet today… but don't worry dude, he seemed totally stoked yesterday!"

 _But yesterday and today are completely different days_ , Marinette thought as she accepted the ticket with a weak "Right, thanks," and found her seat.

Alya stood puzzled for a moment before joining her. Why wasn't her friend bouncing off the walls with excitement? Or at least falling over herself with her usual clumsy Adrien-induced shyness? _Something was up with that girl…_

* * *

Adrien awoke to the feeling of sunlight beaming heavily on his skin.

 _Ugh! What the-!_ He lifted an arm to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight.

 _OH NO._ He leapt to his feet when he remembered where he was. He had never returned home last night! What _time_ was it? Judging from how high the sun had climbed, it was well passed the time for first bell. His father was gonna be _pissed_. Well… if he ever found out. He doubted his father had even noted his absence, as they rarely saw each other outside of pre-scheduled meetings. Hell, he could be gone for weeks and the only way his father would find out is—

 _Nathalie._

 _OH NO._

After ushering Plagg back into his shirt pocket, Adrien hurried down fire escape and made a mad dash for the school.

Luckily, he arrived just as morning session was letting out. The students came pouring out of the school: with afternoon classes cancelled to allow students time to prepare for prom, everyone was excited to enjoy an afternoon of freedom. Realizing he was still in his clothes from the day before, the rumpled white button-down doing a terrible job of hiding the fact that he had spent the night sleeping on a dirty roof, he ducked behind one of the bushes. Just then, his father's luxury sedan rounded the corner, the Gorilla at the wheel and a very worried-looking Nathalie peering out the back window. No doubt they were hoping to catch Adrien as he left.

He needed to talk to Nino. Nino was his only hope of not getting grounded for the rest of all eternity, and if he was still going to salvage that prom date with Marinette— _the prom!_ The prom was TONIGHT! How did he manage to get himself into this mess?!

With an uncharacteristic bit of luck, Adrien found Nino strolling away from the girls, as the two friends sat on the steps discussing something seemingly important in animated whispers.

" _Nino!"_ Adrien whisper-called from his hiding spot. _"NINO!"_

"Huh? Wha—Adrien?! Dude, where have you—" Nino broke into a smile, apparently oblivious to the haggard appearance of his best friend or the strangeness that he was currently hiding in some bushes.

In one swift motion, Adrien stood, grabbing his friend by the oversized earphones that he always wore around his neck, and dragged him down into hiding.

Nino laughed. "What's with the double-oh-seven stuff? Where have you _been_?"

"Listen Nino, I need a HUGE favor," Adrien spoke hurriedly. "I don't have time to explain, but I need you to tell Nathalie I spent the night at your place and then came directly to school. PLEASE. I'm dead if you don't!"

Nino's grin grew wider. "Stayed out all night did we?" Nino gasped as Adrien shrugged, blushing slightly. "No WAY bro, with a girl?! That is so _epic!_ "

The silver sedan drew closer, slowing to a stop in front of the school, mere feet from where they were hiding.

"Please Nino, PLEASE!" Adrien was desperate. Knowing his father, he'd be forbidden from returning to school, maybe even sent to a boarding school somewhere far away, away from Marinette, away from Ladybug, away for the only friends he's ever had.

"No sweat bro, we're best buds after all! BUT—" Nino beamed, "You're giving me the WHOLE story tonight at the dance!"

Adrien nodded abruptly, darting out from his hiding place and into the passenger-side back seat of the waiting sedan, coming face-to-face with a startled Nathalie.

"Where did you—where _were_ you?" Nathalie's surprise had hardened into a steely frown. "Your father is worried sick."

 _Yeah, right_ , Adrien thought, avoiding the temptation to roll his eyes. "I… uh… "

Right on cue, Nino came sauntering up to the car, rapping lightly on the window next to Adrien's head. The Gorilla grunted, lowering the window halfway.

"Hey Dude, don't forget, 7:00 at the Carrousel, I've got your ticket but don't be late!" Nino winked at Adrien, and turned his attention to the stern-faced Nathalie. "Oh by the way du- Ma'am, thanks a lot for letting Adrien spend the night. That Physics test would have had my hide without the last-minute study sesh! Later man!" Nino waved as he jogged back to join the girls for lunch. _Something is definitely up with that dude…_ , he thought with a smile. _And I'm gonna find out what!_

Nathalie looked at Adrien with a disapproving sigh and shook her head.

"Next time, at least let me bring you a change of clothes. Let's get you home and cleaned up before your father sees this." _Or he'll have MY hide_ , Nathalie thought grimly.

"Sure, you bet! And uh, sorry Nathalie," Adrien replied, relief washing over him.

Marinette waved to Nino as he approached. She couldn't help but notice a flashy silver sedan pulling away from the curb behind him, with a very familiar blond head momentarily visible as the window beside him glided closed. The scene hadn't gone unnoticed by Alya, either, who was now glaring at Nino for an explanation.

"Oh! Right,… "Nino thought fast. "He, uhh… had a last minute photo shoot, but wanted to stop by to say he'll definitely be at the dance tonight!" Nino flashed his most convincing grin, throwing two thumbs up in front of him for effect.

"See girl, I told you so!" Alya poked Marinette playfully as her expression softened. "Marinette and Adrien, sittin' in a tree—" she teased.

Marinette couldn't help but laugh at her friend's goofy antics. "Oh stop it, Alya! He's…" she hesitated. "He's just a friend!" _Or maybe…_

"Not for loooong!" Alya sing-songed, making kissy faces at Marinette, causing all 3 friends to break out in laughter.


	5. Rendezvous

Chapter 5:

Marinette brushed her hair out again. No matter how she twisted, braided, pinned, or curled, the result always looked _strange_. Not bad, exactly, but not… right. She sighed into the mirror.

"Seriously Mari, if you don't chill your hair is gonna fall out! I mean, bald is a LOOK, sure, but are you really ready for the commitment?" Alya teased, adding more hairspray to her own intricate updo.

Marinette frowned. "Honestly Alya, how? You make it look so effortless! Like, oh hey, I'll just put a little curl and a pin and then POOF everything is perfect! And then, there's… THIS." The blackette hung her head in defeat _. Akumatized monsters, no problem. Formal wear? No can do._

Alya put a hand to her chin, her head cocked slightly to the side, as she evaluated her friend. _Like anyone's even gonna be looking at her hair!_ she thought with a grin. The dress was a Marinette original, soft pink with a fitted silk bodice and full skirt of layered tulle. Up until today, it had reminded Alya of a fairytale princess's dress, straight out of her childhood fantasies. However, sometime after school let out and before her arrival at the Dupain-Cheng residence at 5:00, the budding designer had added a gradient dye to the skirt. Now, as the tulle cascaded toward the floor, it gradually darkened until the bottom was a deep black. Swarovski crystals had also been added, no larger than flecks of dust as pink transitioned into dusky rose, with larger crystals lying against the black toward the bottom. The overall impression made it look like Marinette was standing among the stars.

"I've got it!" Alya exclaimed suddenly, making Marinette jump. With a few turns of the curling iron and several puffs of hairspray, Alya had fashioned Marinette's hair into a side-part with a gentle wave, one side tucked behind her ear and the other draping across her forehead such that it _almost_ fell over one eye, the ends of it just reaching her bare shoulders. Marinette blinked in disbelief at her reflection. The classic style was such a sharp contrast to her go-to twin pigtails, but she had to admit, she felt _pretty_.

"Now we'll just switch out those black studs for some diamonds and—" Alya began, reaching for her friend's exposed ear.

" _NO!"_

Alya recoiled as if her outstretched hand at just touched a hot stove.

Marinette looked at her friend sheepishly. "Ah, I mean… I had to get them re-pierced recently after they had grown in. I'm not supposed to take them out, y'know?"

Alya laughed. "Makes sense, I should have guessed since you're always wearing the same ones! How about this then?" Fastening the earrings she had brought for Marinette into her own ears, Alya removed the necklace she had been wearing and clasped it around her friend's neck. The string of tiny diamonds sat lightly on Marinette's collar bones.

"Wow…" Marinette gazed at her reflection again, amazed at the transformation she had undergone. The irony of her surprise did not escape her.

"Oh girl don't worry, they're fake!" Alyla winked at her. "Now if you're done being mesmerized by your own beauty, we gotta go! Don't want to be late for AAAA-drien! Gonna cut in on all that makeout time!"

The result of Alya's efforts was only slightly marred by the tomato-red complexion of her friend's face.

* * *

Adrien resisted the urge to loosen his tie as the silver sedan glided toward the dance. He always dreaded formal wear. It was so confining, tight in all the wrong places, making him feel stiff and unnatural. Speaking of confining…

"You will return home immediately after the conclusion of the dance. Nathalie will be outside waiting for you. You may contact her by phone if you wish to return earlier." The image of Gabriel Agreste continued to dictate the terms of Adrien's evening from the screen nestled in the back of the passenger seat. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Adrien replied. With a curt nod, the screen clicked off.

Adrien smiled despite the unpleasant exchange as his thoughts returned to Marinette. Ever since the first day they had met, he had wanted to get to know her better. She had a spirit, a passion to her that fascinated him. From defiantly reclaiming her classroom seat from Chloe, to fighting for Myrene to keep her part in the movie, to taking charge and evacuating the students when Darkblade attacked, she wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in: honesty, friendship, and justice. She was also quick to laugh, always friendly and kind, and of course, beautiful.

But he was the one person she could never seem to warm up to. She could joke and laugh with Nino and Alya, but when he tried to talk to her, she would just clam up, or worse yet make some excuse to leave. At first, he figured she assumed he was a spoiled brat like Chloe, as the blonde was so insistent that they were "besties," but he had hoped that she would see past that as they got to know each other. Over time, they were able to spend some time together (like playing Ultimate Mecha Strike III), but it seemed like she could only be herself when she was distracted from the fact that she was in his company. He was thrilled when she invited Chat into her life, and the two became fast friends.

When she opened up to Chat about her unobtainable crush, he accepted that they would never be more than friends. Still, he was grateful for the relationship they shared. She had filled an empty place in his heart, and he treasured her friendship more than any other. Besides, he had already met the love of his life—Ladybug.

Ladybug was a dream, the very image of perfection clad in skin-tight spotted spandex. She was courageous, determined, strong, and resourceful, and the face she made in response to a particularly corny pun was heartwarmingly adorable. He had been head-over-heels for her since the day she had stood on the Eiffel Tower and promised all of Paris her unfailing devotion to their safety. He would give his life for Ladybug in an instant, no regrets. As they spent time together over the years, he believed (maybe just hoped) that she had developed feelings for him too.

But Ladybug was stubbornly protective of her identity. He had asked many times to be fully honest with each other, even offering to reveal himself at least, but she resisted every time. Could they ever really be together if their entire relationship consisted of akuma battles and the 5 minutes immediately following?

In a surprising turn of fate, it was Marinette, not Ladybug, who had discovered his secret. In a way, a _big_ way, his relationship with the shy, closed-off girl was the most open and honest that he had. Still, he wondered if she would accept the Adrien side of him, socially naive, repressed, and horribly lonely (although outwardly showered with empty affection from fans), as she had welcomed the free-spirited, light-hearted, heroic Chat Noir. He hoped, more than he had ever hoped for anything before in his life, that she would.

* * *

As Marinette waited outside the Carrousel with Alya for the boys, her thoughts were tumbling over themselves. On one hand, she was still giddy over the fact that _she had kissed Adrien,_ for real, on purpose, and he had _kissed her back_. But then again… if Adrien had been interested in her, why had he never approached her as himself? She could convince herself that he might have had feelings for her and just been shy ( _Is it really that unbelievable, Mademoiselle Hypocrite?),_ but then there was _Chat_. Chat was incessantly flirtatious with everyone, confident to the point of being cocky at times, which seemed to contradict the "shy Adrien" theory. And of course, there was that other glaring fact—Chat flirted with everyone, but was quite clearly in love with Ladybug. He would never miss an opportunity to make a suggestive remark, often risked his life for her, and repeatedly expressed his interest in being romantically involved with her. Besides, Chat never seemed to take anything seriously, not even _literal_ life and death situations. Isn't it more likely that Chat was just… having a little fun?

 _Why did you have to kiss him… twice! You're getting your hopes up for nothing!_ Marinette tried to force the negative thoughts from her head.

"Damn girl, you look like you're about to throw up," Alya looked at her glassy-eyed friend with worry. "Look, I'm sorry about all that stuff I said before, let's just have fun tonight, OK? Just the four of us, like always… just looking a lot more fabulous!"

Marinette smiled. Alya was right. No matter what happened with Chat Noir, Adrien was her friend. Her drop-dead gorgeous, incredibly sexy, and apparently Paris-saving friend, but still. As the unmistakable silver luxury car glided up to the Carrousel, she steeled herself. _Friends. No kissing. FRIENDS. Let it work itself out._

As Adrien got out of the car and stood, a gentle breeze tossed his hair lightly, the only indication that Marinette wasn't looking at a life-sized glamour shot. Dressed in a perfectly fitted ink-black tuxedo that shone slightly under the streetlamps, he adjusted his black silk tie as if it wasn't already perfect, glancing in the direction of the girls with his chin angled downward slightly as if he had been caught unaware.

"Whoa." Alya couldn't help but stare. "I mean..." she glanced at Marinette, who was frozen in place, her eyes like saucers. "Yeah sorry, but I meant 'Whoa.'" Alya laughed lightly.

"Yeeaaahh…." Marinette felt like someone had pushed the pause button in her brain. "Whoa."

"Oh hey, yo, Adrien! Perfect timing man!" Nino called, waving to Adrien as he jogged past the girls, having apparently finished helping with the sound check inside. Marinette was startled out of her reverie by his voice. She waved too, trying her best to look relaxed.

Nino greeted Adrien with their traditional hand slap-shake and led him over to the girls. He was talking excitedly about the music set-up inside, something about a 1,200-watt Crown-something, but Adrien's attention was elsewhere. He summoned all of his modeling skills to keep his composure as he approached Marinette. She looked incredible. Her raven hair was loose and flowing on soft waves, resting gently on her smooth, bare shoulders. The diamonds accenting her collarbones mimicked the twinkle of her eyes, which appeared darker than usual due to the subdued lighting. Her pink dress flattered her figure beautifully, accenting her slender waist before fanning out toward the ground, where the skirt seemed to disappear into the night sky.

Taking Marinette's hand into his, Adrien bowed slightly to place a soft kiss on the back of her hand, his lips lingering just a little longer than they should have. Stealthily retrieving a pale pink orchid from his inside jacket pocket and silently thanking Alya for the heads-up on the dress color (although she failed to mention the stunning star effect), he stood again.

"Marinette, you look… amazing," Adrien said with a warm smile, tucking the flower behind her exposed ear, his fingers gently tracing the outline of her ear, the angle of her jaw, her chin…

She had never wanted anything as badly as she wanted to kiss him in that moment.

* * *

 _Author's note: In case you're wondering, the answer is yes: Plagg is pissed that he now smells like flowers.  
_


	6. Prom (part 1)

Chapter 6:

Marinette just stood there, staring into his eyes with a soft smile, expecting to wake up any moment.

Alya was almost as bewildered as her friend, astonished by Adrien's sudden romanticism. _Where is THIS coming from?_ , the perpetually inquisitive girl wondered. She cleared her throat loudly, reminding Marinette that traditionally, this would be her turn to speak.

"Oh! Yeah hi, Adrien! You…" Marinette felt herself being drawn into his eyes again as he returned her smile, and she sighed dreamily. "are _perfect._ You look perfect, I mean! How's your thing? AH! No, not your _thing_ ," Marinette felt her eyes inadvertently slide down his body. "I'm sure it's fantastic, but I—"

Alya sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking her head.

Marinette squeezed her eyes shut as a fierce blush claimed her face. She swallowed the lump in her throat, opened her eyes, and tried again. "I mean, _how are_ _thing_ s _,_ with you? I was a little worried when you didn't show up for morning classes. And you _do_ look fantastic." _YES, finally, words!_

Adrien just grinned, chuckling lightly. _She was so adorable when she got flustered._ "Yeah, sorry about that. I over-slept. I had a very… _eventful_ night last night." He winked at her, surprising himself with the casual flirtatiousness of the conversation. Such an exchange would not be difficult for Marinette and Chat, but between Marinette and Adrien, it was almost unimaginable. He just couldn't help himself. He had never felt so at ease around anyone before.

Nino shrugged meekly upon receiving a ferocious glare from Alya. She was livid that Nino had made up the photo shoot excuse to cover such juicy gossip. _Eventful night, eh? And Marinette is in on it? Do go on…_

Marinette's cheeks had calmed to a rosy shade of pink, but refused to relinquish their heat completely. It was a pleasant feeling actually, warm and comfortable. _Eventful indeed…_

The group heard the muffled voice of Mr. Damocles welcoming the students from inside the venue, followed by applause.

"Looks like it's time! Let's head in and revel in the awesomeness that is my system set up!" Nino offered. As if on cue, the buzz-hum of bass picked up as he finished his sentence, causing a wide smile to stretch across his face. "YESSSSS!" he grinned.

Once inside, the loud music provided some privacy to Marinette and Adrien, who had chosen seats situated in a corner for that exact purpose. As Nino pointed out each individual component of the sound system to her, Alya repeatedly glanced at the far table, longing to eavesdrop on what she _hoped_ was a budding romance.

Marinette was staring at her hands, struggling to find the right words. "Adrien, I… I'm sorry if I overstepped boundaries last night. I got… a little carried away. My emotions were running high, and… I didn't mean to."

His heart sank a little as he heard these words. "You didn't mean to? Because… " he had thought this through. He knew how he felt. "… _I_ certainly meant to. I don't regret a thing."

He paused before continuing, working up the courage to lay himself bare.

"It's just… nobody else knows both sides of me. Nobody accepts _all_ of me. Only you. Marinette, I…" _love you_ his heart proclaimed. He swallowed the words, afraid of moving too fast, afraid of scaring her away, afraid of the words themselves. "…care about you. Last night was amazing, please don't tell me you're sorry it happened!"

Marinette met his eyes, and was surprised to see pain in them. "No! Not at all! Are you kidding?" She giggled nervously. She hadn't intended to put herself out there like this, but he had been so open with her, it felt natural to do the same. "I just didn't want to presume that you had… romantic feelings for me or anything. I didn't want to read too much into one kiss." Marinette was trying to explain her hesitation, but after his sweet words, even she thought it sounded a little silly. Maybe Tikki was right. Was she just oblivious?

" _Two_." Adrien corrected her, gently taking her hands in his, causing her heart to leap in her chest. "And if I remember correctly, it was more than just _a kiss_."

The couple's eyes locked as they were swept up together in a pleasant memory, she in his lap, pressing her body into his and emitting a soft moan as he tasted the salt of tiny beads of sweat that had begun to form on her neck.

He inhaled sharply, the detailed memory of the previous night causing blood to rush into his groin. His grip on her hands tightened, almost imperceptibly, as he bent his flushed face toward hers.

Her head swam as her heart pounded in her ears. She found herself leaning toward him, wanting him to claim her lips with his own, to claim _her,_ blissfully unaware of the world outside the two of them.

Until a deafening crash rudely reminded them that the world was very much still there.

* * *

The akuma appeared as a young, well-endowed woman with long, golden hair, floating effortlessly in the middle of the room, unscathed despite having crashed through the glass pyramid above. She was clad in a single, long piece of pearlescent silk, draped over one shoulder and fastened over the hips with a pair of ornate, matching brooches, with one breast covered only by the flowing curls of her hair. She was laughing maniacally as the glass of the Inverted Pyramid crashed to the ground around her. Students were scattering in all directions, some trying to pull their injured friends from the fallen glass. To Marinette's horror, some students could be seen under the piles of broken glass, bloodied and moaning in pain. Inexplicably, many of the male students stood staring at the akuma, still as statues, even as wickedly sharp glass rained down upon them, cutting, slicing, and sometimes impaling them where they stood. As the akuma glided through the room, she would drag her hand adoringly across some of the men, converting them to her legion with her touch.

Adrien and Marinette both shot to their feet. He looked at her, fear evident in his eyes.

"Marinette, I need to get you out of here!" he grabbed her hand again.

"No, Chat, you need to go, NOW. They need you. I'll be fine, just GO! And don't let her touch you!" Her eyes shone with determination.

After a moment's hesitation, he nodded. _She is absolutely incredible._ "Please be safe," he said, planting a quick kiss on top of her head. Dashing behind a decorative pillar, he called, "Plagg, claws out!"

Marinette turned on her heels and ran, diving behind a pile of rubble that she guessed had once been one of Nino's fabled speakers. Opening her purse and freeing the red kwami inside, she wasted no time in her own transformation: "Tikki, spots on!"

As Chat Noir emerged from behind the pillar, he was relieved to see that Marinette was nowhere in sight. The only ones left in the room were the akuma victim, a dozen or so male students (and the dozen more injured, or worse), himself, and—"Ladybug!"

She ran up to him, her yo-yo spinning at her side. "Good evening, Chaton, imagine meeting you here!"

"Of course, M'Lady! I would never skip out on a date to the prom with _you_ ," he winked, smiling his Chat-grin.

"Well that's sweet, but I'm afraid I'm here for someone else," she replied without missing a beat, nodding toward their foe.

"Well, uh, I can certainly see your attraction," he smirked, raising an eyebrow at the half-naked woman floating before them. "You know, I don't look half-bad wrapped in sheets either."

Ladybug rolled her eyes. Had she expected him to behave differently? He was still Chat Noir, after all. Adrien's words echoed in her head. _Nobody else knows both sides of me. Only you. I care about you._ And yet here he was, flirting shamelessly with Ladybug as if he wanted to be with _her_.

 _Now is not the time, Marinette,_ she scolded herself. _Focus. These people need Ladybug, not love-sick Marinette._

"Hello, my loves!" called the akumatized woman, addressing the bewitched students. "I am Aphrodite! You men, without true love in your hearts… you who use women as your playthings, your empty hearts now belong to me!"

The mesmerized students nodded slowly in agreement. "Yes, my love…." They answered in unison.

Suddenly, the pink outline of a moth appeared in front of Aphrodite's face, and she paused briefly. "Yes, I understand!" she replied to an unheard voice. Chat and Ladybug looked at each other, knowing what was coming next.

"Now then, whichever of my suitors loves me the _most_ will bring me Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculouses!" Aphrodite giggled lightly. "I meant now, please!"

At once, all the students turned to face the two heroes and ran toward them, arms outstretched. Some pushed others out of the way, sending them face down into the broken glass, but this did little to slow their advance; the injured would simply stand and run again, as if they did not even notice their injuries.

Ladybug looked around in a panic. The large, empty room with smooth marble floors and walls provided very few anchor points for her yo-yo, severely limiting her mobility. She felt a strong arm encircle her waist, holding tight.

"Need a lift, Bugaboo?" Chat asked gallantly, extending his staff into the ground and propelling them both into the air. Tucking into a backflip, he landed safely on the other side of the room, placing her back on her feet.

The horde of zombie-boys changed course, skidding and sliding on the glass, coming back toward the heroes again with surprising speed.

Chat took up a fighting stance, bracing himself for the onslaught. "Well LB, if you've got a plan…"

* * *

 _Author's note: The Prom chapter was WAY too long and had to be split! Chapter 7: Prom (part 2) will be coming in the next few days :) Thanks for sticking with me, I hope you like it, I'm having a blast writing it! -Floof_


	7. Prom (part 2)

Chapter 7:

Ladybug leapt into the fight, hurling her yo-yo at the akumatized woman. To her surprise, one of the zombie-like legion smacked the yo-yo out of the way with a piece of broken table. Not to be deterred, Ladybug flipped her yo-yo toward the monster again and again. The entranced men grabbed the string, threw themselves in the way, or otherwise countered the attacks every time, with no regard for harming themselves in the process. There were simply too many of them; she couldn't get a clear shot. Meanwhile, Chat was using his staff to fight off the onslaught that had reached them, as the hypnotized attackers grabbed for their miraculouses.

"Chat, be careful!" Ladybug called, hearing his staff connect with one of the zombified prom-goers with a sickening thud. "They're innocent, they don't know what they're doing!"

"Then we'd better come up with a strategy soon, cuz it looks like they're moving on to plan B!" Chat groaned as an attacker jumped on his back and drove a shard of broken glass into his shoulder with his bare hands. Chat threw the attacker to the ground and hissed in pain.

 _He's right, we can't keep fighting them like this. We can't fend them off without hurting them, and I can't get a good shot at the akuma with the students defending her. Plus, it seems they've decided it would be easier to take our miraculouses if we couldn't fight back._

Ladybug used her yo-yo to wrap up a few of the mesmerized students, effectively trapping them, but also preventing her from using her yo-yo to fight the others. "The akuma must be in one of the brooches on her hips!" she called to Chat. _She's not really wearing much else!_ "See if you can get to it!"

Chat used his staff like a pole vaulter, launching himself toward Aphrodite, but her horde of enthralled slaves easily knocked it out from under him, sending him reeling. Landing on his feet in a crouch and bracing himself with his uninjured arm, Chat sprang back into the air, leapt off the wall, and hurled his staff at the creature. Again, the large projectile was easily deflected by the enchanted prom-goers.

"No good! There are too many of them!" he replied, trying to ignore the burning pain emanating from his shoulder.

Ladybug pulled hard on the yo-yo string, knocking her captives off their feet and retrieving her weapon.

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug called, throwing her yo-yo into the air.

A heavy fireman's ax, adorned with black ladybug spots, materialized and fell into her hands.

"What the?!" Ladybug was confused. She had never received a _weapon_ before. Surely she wasn't supposed to start hacking away at innocent victims? "Oomph!"

The wind was knocked out of her as Chat tackled her to the ground, out of the way of one of the attackers who had swung a heavy metal amp stand at her head. "Careful, Lovebug," he purred with a seductive smile, having pinned her to the ground underneath him, his glowing green eyes sparkling only inches from her own.

 _That's it_.

She looked around the room, her eyes noticing new significance in Chat's luminescent eyes, her yo-yo, and the diamond-shaped panes of glass that covered the light sources of the room.

Aphrodite cackled again. "You know why I'm going to win, Ladybug?" she taunted. "It's because you have to rely on a _man_ to stand by you. Don't you see, he's only toying with you! He acts like he's dedicated to you, but he'll drop you in a minute as soon as someone else comes along. He probably feeds the same cheesy lines to all his little toys!"

Ladybug pretended like she didn't' hear the akuma's taunts, although her words struck a little too close to home. "Chat, are you ready for some batting practice?" she grinned, taking the ax in both hands and running toward the closest light source.

Picking up on her hint, he retracted his staff to the approximate length of a baseball bat as she dashed and leapt around the room, dodging attackers while smashing the light sources with the fireman's ax. Within seconds, the room went dark… to everyone except Chat, whose night-vision kicked in instantly.

"Ready when you are, LB!" he called out, signaling his position.

Impaired by the sudden darkness and only able to detect vague shapes in the faint light trickling in through the gaping hole in the ceiling from the street lamps above, some of the akuma-zombies positioned themselves between Ladybug and their master to block any yo-yo attacks while others launched themselves in the direction of Chat Noir's voice. His metal staff caught the light from above, making him the easier target.

With a whir of string, the yo-yo shot out, not toward the Aphrodite and her wall of waiting minions, but toward Chat. Ignoring the tearing pain in his shoulder, he swung his staff as hard as he could, and – _Crack!_ The yo-yo, almost invisible in the darkness due to its small size, headed straight for one of the clasps, shattering it to pieces. No akuma.

Aphordite gasped as the horde snapped their heads to the direction of the strange sound.

" _GET THEM!"_ Aphrodite shrieked, the cloth falling away to expose a bare hip.

Chat dodged right, then leapt backward into an agonizing handspring as the akuma-zombies attacked, their aim improving as their eyes adjusted to the darkness. One large man must have caught sight of Ladybug moving in the dark, because he was barreling head-first straight toward her.

"LB, move! Toward me, one more go!" he called out to her again as he dashed to the left, and she obeyed instantly, leaping into the blackness and throwing her yo-yo toward the sound of his voice.

The throw went wide, but Chat was ready for it. Separating his staff into two and using the right stick to deflect a prom-goer diving for his throat, he used the stick in his left hand to deflect the yo-yo back toward the one remaining brooch.

 _TINK!_ The smaller stick connected with the yo-yo, sending it spinning. _CRICK!_ The yo-yo connected, cracking the remaining brooch in two and releasing the dark-winged butterfly that had been contained within.

The akumatized woman screamed as she felt her clothing fall away, but Chat paid no attention to the stunning and now fully nude creature before him. With the small, black creature effectively invisible to Ladybug in the darkness, it was up to him to catch the akuma.

Reconnecting his staff and launching himself skyward again, he let go of the staff midair to free both his hands, catching the small winged demon in a cupped grasp. Tumbling to the ground in an awkward somersault and landing a few feet in front of her, he called out to Ladybug: "I got it! Do your thing!"

Working completely on muscle memory, Ladybug traced a line down the center of her yo-yo, causing it to open and lighting up the area in which she stood. Spinning in a wide circle, the glow emanating from the yo-yo prevented her from seeing farther than her immediate surroundings. "Time to de-evilize!" She proclaimed, launching the yo-yo in front of her blindly.

Chat released the akuma at the last moment into the path of the yo-yo. Before clamping shut on its prey, the light of the yo-yo revealed the scene like a camera flash: the spellbound prom-goers truly looked like zombies, their arms out in front of them to try to discern their position, Aphrodite with a face expressing equal parts disbelief and horror, Chat crouched on one knee toward the center of the room, and Ladybug off to one side, arm extended, with a confident smile, as if relying on Chat's eyes to catch invisible butterflies with a magic yo-yo was nothing out of the ordinary.

As the yo-yo _thwp'd_ back into her palm, Ladybug tapped the face of it, releasing the cleansed butterfly back into the world.

Chat, having retrieved the ax from the floor, was now at her side. Placing a hand gently on her shoulder to indicate his presence, he handed her the discarded tool.

She accepted it and, after giving him a second to step back, tossed it high into the air. She called "Miraculous Ladybug!" and, in a swirl of red and black, the room brightened again to reveal no evidence of the destruction from moments before. The pyramid had been restored, and the students who had been trapped or injured were disoriented but unharmed.

"Nice job M'lady! That was incredible!" He enveloped her in a hug, lifting her off the ground and spinning her in a circle. "YOU are incredible! Not that I expected anything less!" an ecstatic Chat raised a gloved fist into the air for a victory "pound it," the shard of glass that had been embedded in his shoulder thankfully vanished with the rest of the destruction.

His expression of joy faltered when she did not return the gesture.

The threat of danger annulled, Marinette's doubts resurfaced full-force. She wasn't sure what to think. Before the battle, she was certain that she and Adrien had something special. He had told her she was the only one who truly knew him, and that he didn't regret kissing her. Hell, he had almost kissed her _again_ , and she would have welcomed it. But then, here he is, showering Ladybug with praises, flirting with her, calling her by pet-names. Maybe Aphrodite had been right, and she was just fooling herself. Could it be that Chat was just a flirt, coming on to two different girls hoping to get lucky with one of them? Maybe, but she had a hard time believing _Adrien_ would behave that way. Her earrings beeped a warning. _Not much time left_. But she had to know.

To Chat's surprise, Ladybug's expression was solemn, without a trace of her usual post-victory merriment. Without a word, she took his hand and guided him out an emergency exit, into a darkened alley where they could be alone.

"LB, are you OK? Is something wrong?" he looked at her with concern.

"Chat," she questioned, lifting her eyes to meet his own. "Do you love me?"

He was taken aback by the directness of the question. _She couldn't possibly be buying into that bullshit Aphrodite had spouted, could she?_ Chat grinned. "You know I do, Bugaboo!" The response was reflexive.

He had said it a million times before. He had said as much to himself only a few hours prior. But for some reason, this time, the words felt hollow. He _did_ love Ladybug, he always would. She was his trusted partner and ally, selfless and heroic and brave. But in truth, he was falling _in_ love with someone else. _Could someone love two people at once, but in different ways?_ Her earrings were flashing their last dot; no time for this discussion right now.

"We should probably talk… when you have the time," he said, glancing knowingly toward her earrings.

"No, Adrien, we need to talk now, before this goes any further," Ladybug's voice shook with her quiet reply.

His mouth opened to answer, to warn her of her impending transformation, but no words came. _Did she just call me—_

In a flash of pink, Ladybug disappeared, leaving Marinette in her place. An exhausted bug-like kwami floated into her waiting hands, which Marinette had cupped in front of her to catch her friend.

"M-Marinette!" Chat stared at her, dumbfounded.

"I…, I can't believe, Y- _YOU'RE—_ " he felt his heart thunder in his chest as his mind struggled to process what he had just seen. The two women he loved were ONE. _Of course!_ He didn't love two women, he loved _one_ woman. One amazing, kind, courageous, beautiful—

"Why did you lead me on like that?" The words came slowly from Marinette, thick with emotion.

Chat didn't know what to say.

"How could you _do_ that, play with someone's heart like that?" her words were quickening as tears pooled in her eyes. "God and I _fell_ for it, every sweet word, because I wanted it to be true. Every smile, every touch. I fell for you _twice_!" she shook her head violently, sending tears flying. "Hell, I _loved_ you! I loved you as Adrien, I loved you as Chat," she choked back a sob, tears now falling freely down her face.

Chat was in shock. He didn't understand what was wrong, but he knew he didn't want to see her cry. _She had just told him she loved him! But… past tense?_

"Marinette, please, talk to me," he said gently, reaching out a hand toward her shoulder.

She recoiled from his touch, holding Tikki closer to her chest.

His eyes widened. Why was she angry at him?

"Marinette, please…" Chat released his transformation, hoping she might find it easier to talk to Adrien. Plagg sat on his shoulder, not nearly as tired as Tikki since Chat hadn't used his Cataclysm. The tiny cat kwami wished he could help, but relationships were not his strong suit. He silently urged Tikki to awaken, his eyes angled with worry.

"Why, so I can convince myself that you love me, Chat? Or Adrien, or whoever you are?! I'm so _stupid_ , to think that you could ever-" Marinette sobbed, nearing hysterics, "could ever _love…"_ Her heart was breaking as she convinced herself that her friend and partner had been playing her as Marinette _and_ as Ladybug. _Who knows how many other girls he talks to like this? Lila, Chloe? Is that why they were so convinced that they should be his girlfriend?_

Marinette's thoughts were careening out of control. Tikki was desperately trying to calm her, but in her weakened state she could only manage a soft mumble.

"You know that's not true Marinette. Don't let your insecurities blind you!" Tikki called out using all of her remaining strength, but the bug kwami's words could not be heard through Marinette's panic.

"But I _do_ love you, Marinette!" Adrien's emerald eyes were filling with tears as he pleaded with her to listen, to understand. He himself had not completely understood his feelings for his heroic crush vs his sweet friend, but now that they turned out to be one, he had never been more certain of anything, ever. He loved her. He loved her more than his own life, more than anything.

"Just leave me alone! I… I can't _think_ right now!" she cried, clutching her kwami against her chest and running toward home.

And with that, Adrien was alone, standing in a dark alley; without a family, without his best friend, without his partner, without his love. Utterly, devastatingly alone. _And it was his own fault._

Across town, machinery whirred to life for the second time that night, as an aperture retracted to expose a large, circular observatory window decorated with geometric shapes resembling a four-petaled flower, the intruding moonlight revealing the figure of a tall, masked man surrounded by countless white butterflies.

* * *

 _Author's note: Please don't hate me! Also, to the guest reviewer from Chapter 5: most readers relate to Marinette or Adrien, but you are officially my Master Fu. I hope you come back to see just how right you were! -Floof  
_


	8. Destiny

Chapter 8:

Hawkmoth had had high hopes for the young, spurned lover to whom he had granted the power of bewitchment. The young woman's response to learning that her boyfriend was bedding other women surpassed simple heartache and betrayal: she was enraged and craved revenge. Her emotions were not cold and gray, they burned with a violent fire. When she took the form of the Goddess of Love, Hawkmoth had expected her to employ her power in a siren-like manner, leading unfaithful men to their deaths as they pined for her. Her dramatic destruction of La Pyramide Inversée had effectively drawn the miraculous-wielding heroes to her almost instantly, and with the sheer number of devoted servants she soon had at her disposal, it seemed likely that Aphrodite would be victorious.

However, Ladybug and Chat Noir were in rare form tonight. It is true that the two rarely functioned independently: Chat Noir would typically draw attacks while Ladybug strategized. For this reason, the self-sacrificing Chat Noir was usually the first to fall (if his warriors managed to get so far), leaving a small window for Ladybug to complete her plan and purify the akuma that bestowed power upon his chosen. Hawkmoth had been prepared for this, and had warned Aphrodite not to be distracted by the antics of the agile feline. If Ladybug could be defeated, there would be no way for the team to purify the akuma, and victory would be theirs. Today, the heretofore predictable duo had functioned as _one_ powerful force. Using Ladybug's lucky charm to manipulate the environment to favor Chat Noir's night vision, allowing him to redirect Ladybug's covert yo-yo attacks before Aphrodite's legion could adapt was… unforeseen. The heroes were becoming much more formidable opponents.

Just as Hawkmoth began to consider the need for a new strategy, he felt it. The pulse of negative energy was so strong it nearly knocked him off his feet.

 _This feeling_ …. He shuddered as he analyzed it, twinges of recollection sparking in his soul. He had felt this feeling before. Negative emotions revealed themselves to him in an identifiable manner: sadness brought an icy chill, increasing to a paralyzing freeze as it neared despair. Anger burned hot, parched and dry as a seething hatred or molten and crackling with vicious ferocity. Jealousy stung like electricity, bringing with it an unpleasant sensation of dysesthesia, and fear swept through his soul, making his heart race and stealing his breath. But _this…._

This sensation caused his stomach to drop, as if the ground had suddenly given way under him and sent him into a free fall. A crushing weight pressed at him from all sides, suffocating him in the wide open room. Using his left hand to steady himself on his cane, he clasped his right fist over his purple hawk-patterned brooch, willing himself to focus.

 _Loneliness. Loss. Emptiness. Hopelessness._ He knew this feeling well. The emotion that bombarded him from somewhere in Paris was the same that drove him to become Hawkmoth in the first place. Somewhere, some ill-fated soul was sharing his pain. The pain that shattered lives and destroyed dreams. The pain that could drive a man to exploit the powers protecting the world to manipulate fate itself, to change destiny and bring back his lost love, restoring the family and the life that had been taken from him… because without her, all that was left of him was _this feeling_.All that was left of him was… nothing.

As the aperture slid away from the window, Gabriel Agreste had regained his composure, standing tall again as the immutable Hawkmoth. He truly felt pity for the bearer of this heartache. Yet, the doomed soul provided him an opportunity that he could not ignore. The all-encompassing depth of this emotion would bring with it _massive_ power, on par with his own. With this warrior at his side, he could finally defeat the two heroes, gaining the ultimate power of their miraculouses and altering his intolerable fate. As the pink outline of a moth appeared in front of his face, Hawkmoth prepared to address his new ally, his chosen warrior, his brother in loss… but his words caught in his throat when the face of the young man materialized in his vision.

He was looking at the tragically handsome face of his own son, Adrien Agreste.

Even as his heart broke for the boy, Gabriel understood that he must grasp this opportunity. This was not coincidence. There had been a mistake in the fabric of his fate that he must repair- a snag that removed his wife, the mother of his son, from the world. The ripples of her tragic loss had destroyed not only his own life, but a generation of miraculous wielders, and now the life of his precious son. However, the error in fate had created a butterfly effect (quite literally—the gods have a cruel sense of humor), leading him to the moth miraculous and granting him the power to right time's mistake. Destiny itself has brought his son to his side, so the two of them together could restore what had been lost.

Gabriel gathered his courage and addressed his son through the power of the moth miraculous.

"Adrien, my son…" his voice cracked with uncharacteristic emotion.

Adrien, walking the dark streets of Paris without direction, had failed to notice the tell-tale pink glow igniting his peripheral vision. Plagg, however, was quick to react, diving for cover in his jacket pocket at the first sign of a flicker. The disembodied voice caught Adrien by surprise, his head snapping to attention.

"Haw-, uh… Fa-father?" Adrien glanced around the empty alley fervently, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Yes, Adrien, it is I. Although many refer to me as Hawkmoth." The voice of his father echoed in his head as he noticed the unmistakable outline of hawkmoth framing his vision. There was only one explanation: his father was Hawkmoth, and he was going to be akumatized. He should have been shocked, or frightened. Instead, Adrien felt numb. _What's the point anyway? Ladybug and Chat Noir were done. You fucked it up._ Ladybug could keep fighting without him. Maybe she would, maybe not… but who cares? What were they even fighting for? _He can have my damned miraculous, I don't care. I'm done._

"My son," Hawkmoth continued to address Adrien telepathically, "I apologize that I had to reveal myself to you this way. I apologize that I have taken such drastic measures to restore our lives, but please understand. This is the only chance… the only way to heal those negative emotions that have possessed your… possessed _our,_ souls. We must obtain the miraculouses. With them, I can fix this. We can fix it all. I can bring back your mother, undo all this pain, restore our happiness. We can be a family again. We could be _whole_. But I need your help. Please son, join me."

His father was reaching out to him for help. Was there really a chance to go back, to restore what he had broken? To have a family? To be _loved?_ Adrien closed his eyes, focusing on this last thread of hope that had presented itself from a very unexpected source. Even if the chance was slim… Adrien had nothing left to live for in this current state. He had nothing left to lose.

* * *

On the top floor of the corner bakery, Tikki had choked down a chocolate chip cookie as fast as she could manage. She flew to Marinette, who was face-down on the bed, head buried in a soggy pillow, still sobbing despite the fact that her tears had run out long ago.

"Marinette, you need to stop…" the little red kwami tugged on her chosen's ear, encouraging her to roll over.

Marinette begrudgingly rolled face-up, acknowledging Tikki's attempts at comfort. "I should have known, Tikki. Why did I let myself fall for—" as the distraught girl's eyes met those of her kwami, she cut the familiar lamentation short. The look on the small red creature's face was not one of compassion. She was _furious_. Marinette blinked in confusion.

"Just _stop_ Marinette!" the little kwami fumed. "Stop feeling insecure and sorry for yourself and _wake up_! Do you realize what you did to Chat?!"

Marinette reeled, unaccustomed to seeing Tikki angry. "What I did to _him?_ Tikki, he _played_ me! First he tells me he has feelings for Marinette, but then as soon as Ladybug is in the picture, he tells her he loves her!"

Tikki wanted to scream. Her chosen had issues with self-worth, as most of her Ladybugs had to some extent. This, however, was getting out of hand. She was so stubborn in her insistence of her own inadequacy that she had hurt Chat's feelings, _badly_. The bug-god could feel Plagg calling to her for help. They were in trouble, and Ladybug needed to fix it _now_.

"STOP BEING SUCH A HYPOCRITE!" For a tiny creature, she sure could produce a big sound. "You proclaimed your undying love for Adrien for years, and then made out with Chat Noir without hesitation!"

"But they're the _same person_!" Marinette exclaimed defensively.

The spotted kwami made an exaggerated gesture in midair, flailing her tiny arms and legs like windmills as if gripped in a sudden seizure.

Marinette's eyes widened slowly, understanding dawning on her with agonizing delay.

"Oh…oh my God…" Marinette's hands shook as they came to her gaping mouth. "His flirtation, his attention, his love... Ladybug and Marinette, it's _only me_. Tikki, what have I _done?_ "

Tikki winced as Plagg's desperation reached her again. Something was very, very wrong.

"You have to find him Marinette! You have to fix it, _now_! I—I think he's in trouble!" Tikki's voice had an edge of panic that chilled Marinette to the core.

"Right!" the blackette nodded, gathering her resolve. "Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

Plagg was panicking. Seeing the glowing outline of the moth light Adrien's dejected face, he knew he had to do something to intervene, to help his brokenhearted chosen. He had to admit, he had grown fond of the kid. He wasn't ready to lose him. But he was the god of destruction. He couldn't heal anything, only destroy. "Tikki, _please,_ " he called to his other half again with all the strength of his soul as he trembled in his hiding place. "Please help him!"

Adrien's eyes opened, but they were empty, devoid of emotion. He nodded solemnly and spoke into the night. "Yes, Hawkmoth… Father. I will join you. I will help you fix this. We will be whole again."

It only took seconds for the black moth to appear, its wings glowing with dark power. Plagg watched in horror as it fluttered toward his chosen's silver ring, and Adrien made no move to resist. In a split second decision, Plagg did the only thing he could think of to save his chosen: he shot out of his hiding spot in Adrien's jacket pocket and dove for the akuma.

With a flash of black energy, the cat-god and the akuma swirled together, both of them disappearing into the ring. Dark power erupted from the blackened ring, consuming Adrien where he stood. As it disappeared into the boy, a new form emerged from the bubbling, purple-black mass. His lean frame clad in rich black leather, a long belt wrapped around his waist, two black peaks standing out from a mess of golden hair, lime green eyes piercing the darkness. In Adrien's place stood the figure of Chat Noir.

Gabriel stared through his telepathic window in disbelief. _Adrien was—Chat Noir!_ _This was truly destiny_! Chat Noir's miraculous _was his_. His own son had obtained it for him, and now would join him in the fight to obtain the Ladybug miraculous. With Chat Noir, _his son_ , at his side, it was only a matter of time before he had them both. _I will not let you down, Adrien. I swear to you, I will make this right._ Hawkmoth offered the silent promise to his son as a single tear glistened in his eye. _I will not fail you_. _WE WILL NOT FAIL._

* * *

 _Author's note: THANK YOU so much for the encouraging reviews! I love to hear that you guys are emotionally invested (like me!) in this, it definitely inspires me to write more :) :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Get ready for Ladybug vs. Chat Noir!_


	9. Ruin

Chapter 9:

Ladybug could feel Tikki's fear as she swung through the streets of Paris, looking for Adrien. She understood her kwami's unease: Paris was not a city where one could safely nurse a broken heart. With Hawkmoth looming, preying upon any negative emotion that emerged, Adrien's distress made him a target. And it was all her fault.

"How could I have been so blind?" Ladybug spoke into the wind as it buffeted her face, uncertain if her kwami could hear her words in her transformed state.

"He told me he loved me, and I pushed him away. I basically called him a liar for loving me as both Marinette and Ladybug, the very same love that I offered him, that made him so happy. How could I have been so _stupid_!" Ladybug threw her yo-yo again and again, unaware of the soreness that had developed in her overworked muscles. Her sole focus was on finding Adrien, her actions driven by her love for her lost kitty, her fear for his safety, and by her own guilt. She had no idea how long she had been racing through Paris on her search, but she knew she would not stop until she found him.

" _It's my fault… He's hurt and it's my fault. I'm coming Chaton, please hold on!"_ The night, passing by in colorful blurs of light as she arced through the air again, stole her tears as soon as she produced them.

Suddenly, there he was. In the fuzzy yellow glow of a streetlamp, leaning lazily on his staff with his usual air of confidence, stood her Chat Noir. Ladybug's heart leapt. He was waiting for her! She would have a chance to apologize, to tell him how much she loved him, to hold him tightly and never let him go again.

She was out of breath from exertion when she dropped to the ground in front of him. Even before she found her voice to speak, she felt that something was…different, off. Normally Chat's presence calmed her, reassured her, and made her feel safe. Now, there was something cold and empty emanating from the figure standing before her. When he lifted his eyes to meet hers, her feather-light heart turned to lead. The man standing before her was definitely not her Chat. His face, attractive features curled into a snicker, _looked_ like her Chat, but his grin held none of Chat's mirth or humor. It was a harsh expression, more of a sneer that suggested darkness hiding underneath. Furthermore, the eyes were not his. Lime-green sclera were familiar, but the pupils were miniscule inky slits, not the slightly elongated pupils of her Chat Noir.

"C-Chat?" her question was hopeful, but her voice was tainted by fear.

The laugh that escaped his lips was nothing she had ever heard before. Dark and deep, the ragged sound cut into her soul, destroying any hope she held that her Adrien was standing in front of her. Her eyes widened with a mixture of terror and confusion.

"Try again, Princess." Chat growled more than spoke, the last word dripping with resentment.

Ladybug reflexively took a step backward. "I… I don't understand." The words that left her lips minimized the war that had erupted inside of her. Part of her yearned for him, to tackle him to the ground and run her fingers through his hair, to let kisses take the place of words in her declarations of her love for him. Another part, the part that was closer to the surface, was screaming at her to run, that there was danger here that she was not prepared to face. And deep down, the part of her that could always sense Tikki held a third emotion: concern, a desire to protect the very person who her instincts told her to escape.

Chat shook his head, the smirk falling from his face. "No, you wouldn't understand, would you?" In a flash, he grabbed her chin, pulling her face close to his with enough strength to nearly take her off her feet. In any other instance the gesture might have been romantic, but his forceful touch held no affection for her. He glared into her eyes, and she felt herself begin to tremble.

" _Ladybug_ is only concerned with the safety of Paris." He spat the words as if they left a foul taste in his mouth. "She doesn't understand that her partner loves her with such devotion, with all of his being, that he defines himself as a part of her, that he dedicated his life to protecting her. She doesn't understand what _love_ is, does she?"

Ladybug's eyes filled with tears. She did know what love was, and the man she loved was in terrible pain. _And it was all her fault._ Now he was lost, buried somewhere in this spiteful look-alike. She was too late, he had been broken. Chat released her with a dismissive toss, knocking her backward. Off-balance and drained in every sense of the word, she collapsed to the ground.

Ladybug made no move to stand. "Chat… Adrien…" her voice broke as she addressed him, her eyes locked on the ground. "I am so sorry. Please…"

The laugh came again, joyless and utterly foreign to her. "Your precious Adrien is gone, Ladybug. Don't you see? You destroyed him. Ironic that the wielder of the power of creation can render devastation with such prowess."

Forcing herself to look up, she knew the instant that she met his eyes that he was telling the truth. No trace of Adrien could be seen in this Chat. This Chat was cold, dark and foreboding.

"No, I am not Adrien," the dark figure continued, almost to himself. "I am not your Chat Noir. I am the embodiment of destruction. I am the power of eradication, of annihilation, of undoing. I am… Ruin." The figure of Chat Noir grinned, satisfied with his chosen moniker.

"Now then, shall we? Destruction or creation… which will overcome?" Ruin stood tall, holding his staff in front of him, challenging her.

Ladybug pulled herself to her feet slowly, carefully. "Chat, I am not going to fight you," she stated without as much conviction as she had hoped to project. She made no move to attack, nor did she take up a defensive stance, despite the fact that every instinct told her to run, that this was an enemy she could not defeat.

"Then you will perish," Ruin stated matter-of-factly, with no emotion. His whole being pulsed with a familiar black energy, swirling around him. The whirl of black dots surrounding him reminded her of Chat's cataclysm power, but rather then enveloping his right hand, they radiated from his entire person.

Regaining herself, Ladybug dove out of the way of his attack at the last second, feeling the wind produced by the crushing blow of his staff as it passed within inches of her face. The attack crashed into the ground, fracturing the pale cement sidewalk with an explosive burst. The pieces of pavement that had been propelled into the air disintegrated as they came into contact with the miasma surrounding her adversary.

Without hesitation, Ruin lifted his staff again and spun, turning his weapon in an arc above his head and pummeling her from the side. Ladybug raised her arms to block the attack, but the force of it knocked her off her feet, sending her sprawling to the ground. Blackness filled her vision as the sudden intense pain overwhelmed her, and suddenly there was a crushing weight on her chest as Ruin pinned her to the ground with a knee.

"Pitiful and weak, just like him," he taunted.

Ladybug blinked her eyes into focus. Still exuding a dark power, he was reaching a gloved hand for her face, the other hand planted on the ground beside the opposite ear where it was slowly eating a hole into the ground.

"The suit doesn't protect _all_ of you," he threatened. Stopping his hand mere fractions of an inch from her chin, which she had turned away from his deadly grasp, he bent his body toward hers. His face close enough to hers that she could feel his breath on her cheek, he purred: "I can remove the earrings for you, but as that will most certainly end your existence, perhaps you would prefer to do it yourself?"

Despite the fact that the man pinning her to the ground was almost identical to her seductive partner, that his facial features belonged to her long-time fantasy crush, that she knew his hair would feel like silk between her fingers and his black leather hid a perfectly chiseled body, the feeling erupting from Marinette was not one of longing or desire. The feeling that possessed her in that moment was pure, unadulterated fear. She was suddenly certain that he would kill her without hesitation, and she was completely at his mercy.

So, despite her earlier promise, she did the only thing she could. Summoning all her strength, she brought a fist into Chat's side, _hard_ , knocking him off balance enough that she could force him off of her with powerful kick of her legs, and sat up. She immediately swung her yoyo, anchoring to the nearby lamppost, and pulled hard, propelling herself into the air.

Recovering quickly, Ruin smashed an open palm into the lamppost, destroying her anchorpoint and sending her plummeting to the ground.

Ladybug tucked and rolled, predicting the impending blow from the staff and hoping she had been quick enough to dodge. Thankfully, Ruin's attack from the now-extended staff went wide, smashing into the ground a few feet behind her.

Leaping out of her tucked position, Ladybug threw her yoyo again, this time latching onto a nearby building, and yanked herself up. Glancing back, she saw that the area around Chat—no, around _Ruin_ , resembled a crater in the ground. The energy of his presence was rotting away everything around him.

Running toward the building with impressive speed, Ruin extended the staff vertically into the ground, carrying himself upward in chase. He landed on the roof moments after Ladybug had, and he traipsed toward her with unnerving calm.

"Why prolong the inevitable, Ladybug? You could end this in a moment. Just give me your miraculous, and nobody else has to get hurt." Ruin cooed at her as if she was a lost child: innocent, frightened, and fragile.

In truth, Ladybug was beginning to feel the part. "You know I can't do that!" she called defiantly, although her voice wavered.

Ruin shrugged. "Have it your way," he replied. Still several feet from her, he dropped to a knee, placing both palms on the ground—or rather, on the roof upon which they were standing. A loud, long groan erupted from the building as the supports began to give way. The structure shifted beneath her feet, and Ladybug's eyes widened with the realization of what was happening.

 _The whole building is coming down._

She leapt free of the crumbling structure, sending her yoyo in front of her to attach to the next building and launch her through the night. She was briefly enveloped in a cloud of dust and debris as the building crumbled before swinging clear of the devastation. Coughing and sputtering, she landed on the street below in an awkward half run, hitching forward as she fought for breath. Ladybug felt like she would vomit. _How many people had been caught in the demolition? How many innocent lives were lost because she had run for her life?_ The bile rose in her throat as she glanced back at the pile of rubble that had been a building. Ruin was walking toward her, seemingly unaffected by the cloud of debris from which he emerged.

However, his steps were uneven, unsure. He slowed further as he neared her, and much to her surprise, stumbled to all fours as he drew close. He was breathing heavily, not coughing the dust from his lungs as she was, but from sheer exhaustion.

"Mari… Marinette…" his voice came to her quiet as whisper, as if from a dream. Laced with affection, with worry, with _love_.

 _Adrien!_

She ran to the crumpled figure, ignoring her own fatigue. The black aura had dissipated, and she dropped to the ground in front of him, hoping against hope.

When he lifted his face to her, the green eyes that met hers were not malachite sclera with viper-like dark slits, but the untainted, emerald-green irises of Adrien. Still clad as Chat Noir, the eyes were out of place, but she had never seen anything more beautiful in her life.

He winced in pain, and closed his perfect eyes against an unseen force.

"Ladybug, I-… I'm fighting but, I can't keep him down much longer." Adrien's voice had a pleading quality to it, and edge of desperation, a knowledge of his imminent failure.

"Adrien, I-" Marinette began to apologize, to declare her devotion to him, to ask for forgiveness and promise her undying love, but he cut her off.

"It's Plagg, Mari. The akuma took my miraculous, it _has Plagg_." Adrien gasped as a new invisible assault hit him, but he steeled himself and continued, a shuddering hand reaching for his ring. "He's exhausted, used too much power, but… he's so strong. He'll be more cautious now. You—"

Adrien cried out in pain as the god of destruction continued to assail him in the fight for control, and he fell to the pavement. Ladybug loosed a scream of her own as she dove for him, holding him close while his body convulsed once, twice. Tears were streaming down her face as his eyes flashed open, determined to meet her gaze again. He had to warn her.

"You must destroy my miraculous. Destroy Chat, destroy _me_. He will not stop with the miraculous Mari. _He will kill you_. He will annihilate _everything_. I can feel it."

Adrien's eyes flashed a plethora of emotions at once: fear, loss, pain, regret, yearning, love, as he used the last of his strength to push himself free of her.

She reached for him again, unwilling to let him go, but stopped when she noticed the black dots beginning to ooze from his hands.

The figure of Chat was pushing himself up to his hands and knees, shaking his head while he let out a sinister chuckle. Ladybug could just make out his expression, his face still angled to the ground. The malevolent smile spoke as clearly as any word: victory.

Ladybug scrambled to her feet, backing away from the figure who she knew to be Ruin, her voice strengthened by love and covering the fear that had begun to take possession of her.

"What did you do to him?! What did you do to Adrien!" she demanded, shaking tears from her eyes and trembling with an overwhelming combination of rage and terror. _How was she going to defeat destruction itself?_

The chuckling grew louder, and its ominous tone told her the answer before the dreaded words reached her.

"His pathetic resistance was aggravating me. Your beloved Adrien is dead."


	10. Reclamation

Ch 10:

" _NO!"_ The scream that tore from Ladybug's chest was primal and raw, a roar from a primitive time when instinct dictated action. She was overcome with a surge of energy as if she had tapped into some hidden font fed by desperation upon hearing Ruin's words. She exploded from her crouch, launching herself toward him and flinging her yo-yo at his smug face.

Ruin brought a clawed hand up, interrupting the yo-yo's trajectory and causing it to wrap around his wrist. Standing tall and bracing himself, he grabbed the string and yanked it sideways, obligating the airborne Ladybug to change course.

 _Oh no you don't_ , Ladybug silently countered as she shifted her bodyweight, turning midair with the force of the sudden pull and angling herself between Ruin's legs. Falling fast, she hit the ground and slid through his wide stance, forcing his entangled arm to follow her path through his legs as she emerged from behind him.

Ruin offset the move with a quick front-flip barrel roll, barely landing the acrobatic display in a crouched position and facing her, but having effectively freed himself from the yo-yo's string.

As before, whatever Ruin's power-exuding hands touched would begin to disintegrate on contact, although the dark energy was not radiating from him in waves as it had.

 _He's curbing his power expenditure_ , Ladybug noted. Adrien was right; Ruin learned fast and would not make the same mistake again.

She leapt to the side to put some distance between them, between her and death itself, but Ruin was too fast. Reaching out, he grabbed her ankle and yanked her backward, toward him, bringing the other hand down toward her terrified and very exposed face. She didn't even have time to close her eyes, and watched in horror as her doom came plunging toward her.

" _STOP!"_ Hawkmoth seized control of his chosen, commanding him through their telepathic bond. _"We need the miraculous! If you destroy her, the miraculous will be destroyed with her!"_

Ruin faltered in his attack; a moment's hesitation, but enough for Ladybug to spin herself face-down, propelling her free leg through the air and into the side of his head. The blow caught Ruin off-guard and he released his hold, allowing Ladybug to scramble to her feet.

Facing her foe again, Ladybug immediately noticed the pink outline hovering in front of Ruin's face and his suddenly tense posture. Had Hawkmoth just saved her life?

Ruin rolled his shoulders and stood, stretching his neck as if preparing for exercise. He laughed lightly as he mentally countered Hawkmoth's commands. _"Silly Nooroo, do you honestly think you're powerful enough to control me?"_

Hawkmoth withdrew a step from the window, despite the fact that several miles separated him from the battle. He had not released his hold on Ruin. He had not permitted him to move, and yet…

" _You will obey me! I gave you this power, Adrien, and I can remove it just as easily!"_ Hawkmoth projected his threats through the bond, directing his power to bend his chosen to his will once more. Usually it was effortless for him to reach through the bond and take hold of his minion, as easy as clutching a physical object right in front of him. Now, although Hawkmoth stretched his will, he felt as if he were grasping at air.

" _You stupid human,"_ Ruin's superior tone came to Gabriel's mind again. _"I am not your son, and I am not your puppet. I am a_ GOD _, and I tire of your puerile meddling."_

With those words, Gabriel felt the connection shatter. He stumbled backward as his kwami, Nooroo, fell from the brooch he wore on his collar, landing on the ground in front of him with a soft thud and a moan.

"What happened?!" Gabriel unceremoniously scooped up the small purple creature, grasping him too tightly and bringing him up to eye level. "Why did you release him!" he demanded.

Nooroo fought against the exhaustion that threatened to pull him into unconsciousness. "I am sorry master," the moth kwami squeaked. "I would have warned you, but I… I didn't know."

The hesitant fear in his kawmi's voice took some of the angry edge from Gabriel's tone. Had he made some mistake, some oversight? "What, Nooroo? What did you not know?" he pressed.

The tiny god sighed. "I did not know Plagg was there, master. I did not know that he would interfere."

Gabriel was confused, but he could not ignore the feeling of dread ebbing into his mind. "Who is Plagg, and why does it matter?"

Nooroo met his master's gaze, apprehension evident in his reply. "Plagg is the kwami of the god of destruction… and you, _we_ , just granted him his power. We provided a direct connection through the akuma. Without the impedance of the miraculous chosen… we have awakened the god of destruction. We have brought Ruin to the world."

* * *

Back on the streets of Paris, Ladybug unremittingly battled Ruin. Although she fought for both herself and Chat, with more determination and strength than she had ever invoked on her own, Ruin countered her blow for blow. He was too fast, too powerful, and she was forced to maintain the defensive position as one wrong move meant certain death.

He dove for her, and she leapt into the air again, vaulting off of him and calling for her lucky charm. _Please be something good!_ she prayed.

Catching the object that had materialized midair and landing a few feet away from her foe, she turned it over in her hands. The dagger was long and relatively plain save the ladybug-spot pattern, wickedly sharp, and heavy in her hands. _Another weapon?!_ Ladybug was exasperated by this new and somewhat disturbing trend. _What's with all the weapons all of a sudden?_

Ruin laughed at her perplexed expression, taking in the sight of the object she held in her hands. "A dagger? And just what do you hope to do with that?" he momentarily paused his assault to mock her.

Her eyes darted around the landscape. They were in an open street. The streetlamps were mostly destroyed and dark, leaving only the moon to illuminate her surroundings. The street was empty and full of potholes thanks to Ruin's destructive touch, and while the sidewalk was shattered in some spots leaving large fragments of concrete, nothing popped out to her as significant. Try as she might, the only thing in the vicinity that captured her attention was Ruin himself. Over and over, her eyes flitted back to the figure of her partner, who was eyeing her with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Will you plunge that weapon into the chest of your beloved, ending his life to save your precious city?" Ruin continued to taunt her as he slowly crept forward. "Because let me assure you, that is the only way you will take this ring from _me_." To emphasize his point, Ruin clasped his right hand into a fist, securing the ring in its spot.

Marinette tore her attention from the environment and focused back to her opponent. She had been distracted, he was too close. She gripped the dagger and tensed.

"Too slow, Princess!" He sprang at her, left hand extended with deadly purpose.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" she screamed, throwing the enigmatic 'lucky charm' above her head. It burst out of existence with a flourish of red and black, but no massive wave of swirling magic swept through the streets to repair the damage they had done. She had not purified the akuma, and thus the power of her miraculous was severely limited.

Redirecting his attack, Ruin rocketed into the air, sweeping his hand through the humble cloud of magic, disintegrating it into nothingness before it could restore a single slab of concrete.

Ladybug took the opportunity of the distraction to do the only thing she could think of. She ran. She ran like hell. She ran for her life.

* * *

The diminutive girl crouched behind the dumpster in a tattered dress, her dark hair clinging to her dirty, tear-stained face, and clutched her tiny friend as if she embodied the last shred of hope in the world. After retrieving some cookies from her chosen's purse (thankful she didn't have to go rooting through the dumpster to regain her strength), Tikki was doing her best to comfort Marinette, who was racked with guilt.

"You did the right thing, Marinette! He was going to kill you. You can't possibly help Adrien if you're dead!" the bug-kwami reassured her.

Marinette shook her head. She had failed. She was useless as Ladybug, and even moreso as Marinette. She had run away, leaving Adrien under the control of that _thing_ , that evil creature. At least she hoped she did.

"Tikki… what Ruin said. You don't think he… you don't think Adrien is actually…?" Marinette couldn't bring herself to say the word.

Tikki didn't know what to say. Faced with silence, Marinette continued to think aloud.

"He can't be, right? Adrien said that the akuma got Plagg, but Ruin is still in Adrien's body, so Adrien _must_ still be alive, right?"

Tikki sighed. "I… I don't know, Marinette."

The large blue eyes of her chosen were so full of misery and torment, Tikki felt her heart break for the girl. So, she decided to share what she _did_ know, hoping it would help… somehow.

"Listen Marinette, the book that we brought back to Master Fu… it explains a bit more about us, about the gods and the kwamis, more than I ever knew. I think it explains a little of what's going on here."

Marinette didn't trust herself to speak, so she only nodded to indicate that she was listening. The black-spotted creature continued.

"Long ago, all of the gods were one being. Destruction and creation coexisted, they occurred simultaneously. All of creation both came into existence and ceased to exist at once."

Marinette blinked. She had a hard enough time understanding the laws of physics; this existential existence/non-existence stuff was beyond her.

"The all-powerful, all-encompassing being was literally everything, but it was also utterly alone. It craved companionship, so it divided itself in half: it separated itself into Creation and Destruction, Alpha and Omega, the two great gods. The moment it did so, the last moment that creation and destruction were one, is what your scientists now refer to as the Big Bang. It was in this moment that time began."

Marinette remembered this concept from school. She had never understood how the universe could explode _into_ being, but if creation and destruction were once the same thing, it made sense… sort of.

"Some aspects of the being did not fit into either great god; they did not belong to either creation or destruction. Like… water, for example. Water can bring life to a desert, or it could carve a crevice into solid rock. It both creates and destroys. Thus, along with the two greater gods, five lesser gods also came into being."

"The other miraculouses…" Marinette was lost in thought, attempting to follow.

"Yes," Tikki nodded, pleased that she was listening so intently, "but not miraculouses yet. You see, the gods, in their full power, were constantly at war. Storms raged, the Earth shook, entire populations were wiped out. It was chaos. The gods knew that they must limit their powers somehow, contain them, or a balance could never be achieved. So, they devised the miraculouses: they separated a vast majority of their power from their essence as gods, and sealed it away in an object. Thus, if needed, the power could be retrieved, but only through a host—a chosen."

"So then the kwamis are… the essences of the gods?" Marinette gaped at her tiny red friend.

"That's right Marinette!" Tikki grinned.

Marinette thought back to Adrien, and Plagg, and Ruin. "But… when I'm using your power as Ladybug, I'm still me. Adrien and Ruin are… distinct." She remembered how Ruin would refer to Adrien as if he were an entirely separate person, and how Adrien spoke of suppressing Ruin.

Tikki nodded, her expression growing more solemn. "Yes. You see, at first, we tried to access our powers more directly. Our chosen's physical body limits our powers to an extent, and we thought that would be enough. However, we soon learned that—" Tikki winced. This part she recalled personally. "If we take full control of our chosen, we force his or her soul out. Two souls, that of the human and the god, cannot inhabit the same form; the mind rejects it. Therefore, we chose to take a more passive role, and allow our chosen to wield our powers on our behalf. And that is how it has been for thousands of years."

Marinette gasped. "B-But that means, if Ruin is Plagg controlling Adrien's body, then Adrien-!" her heart raced as her thoughts spiraled toward their inevitable conclusion. It couldn't be. _He can't be_ _gone_.

Tikki's voice was soft. "He can fight. He might still be fighting for control, holding on. Eventually though, only one of them will be victorious. But Marinette, there is something more important to worry about."

Marinette stared at her kwami in disbelief. "More important than Adrien's _life?!"_

Tikki held her gaze. "Marinette, I believe Nooroo's power, through the akuma, has restored Plagg's power to him directly. While he is limited somewhat by the human form that the akuma bound him to, he is still far more powerful, more complete, than the rest of us. Do you understand Marinette? Ruin will not stop. He _cannot_ stop. All he can do is destroy, and he will continue to do so until there is nothing left."

Marinette's eyes widened. "Tikki, can't you _do_ something?" the desperation in her voice indicated that she understood the gravity of the tiny goddess's warning.

"Not alone. Kwamis can't access their powers directly. But _we_ can do something. You must destroy the akuma, to close the bridge between Plagg and his powers. You _must_ Marinette, for the sake of the world, by any means necessary. Even if it means sacrificing the one you love the most."

Although she danced around the words, Marinette knew what Tikki was implying. She had been there, fighting with her against Ruin. She had seen the dagger her lucky charm had bestowed her.

Tikki wanted her to kill Adrien. …assuming he wasn't dead already.

Kill him to get to the akuma. Kill him to save the world. To save _everyone,_ all of her friends, her family…

"Tikki…." Marinette's voice shook with fear. The little red god patted her chosen's face as the girl shook her head. The kwami knew it must be a lot to take in, and did not envy the decision she would have to make.

"Tikki…."Marinette's voice came stronger with her second attempt. A new dismaying realization had pushed her impossible choice to the back of her mind. For now, she knew what she had to do. "I can't sit here and process this. _He knows where I live_. He knows how to get to my family. We have to go, NOW!"

 _Maman, Papa… I'm coming!_ Marinette's resolve to protect those she loved gave her the will-power to stand, to prepare to fight again. _I don't know what I'll do when I get there, but I'm coming!_

"One more time Tikki… SPOTS ON!"

* * *

 _Author's note: I can't even say how happy I was to read the reviews for the last 2 chapters! Hopefully the rapid-fire publishing gives you a hint ;) You guys are the best, I just love being able to share my head-cannon with you! Hearing/reading your reactions is like watching it go down together 3 This chapter takes some artistic liberties re: the origin of the kwamis but hopefully fills in some of the blanks about what's happening to poor Chat. WE'RE NEARING THE END YOU GUYS! -Floof_


	11. Lose-lose

Ch 11:

Ladybug slipped through the skylight into her bedroom in the dead of night as she had hundreds of times before. As usual, she was met with silence, but this time she made no effort to dampen the sounds of her arrival. If her sleeping parents were awoken by the commotion and came knocking on the trap door, she would be _relieved_. If they came running in unannounced, full of worry, and discovered she was Ladybug, she would be grateful to see their astonished faces. However, as soon as her feet touched the floor, she knew that this wouldn't be the case. There was something ominous about this silence, as if the quiet was forced… as if the stillness of the night hid a predator: soundless, patiently crouched, awaiting his prey.

Her sense of unease grew when, upon opening the trapdoor leading to the family's living space, she noticed the faint glow coming from the direction of stairs. Unseen during her rooftop approach, the lights in the bakery were ablaze. Still several hours before her father's 4 am wake-up time, the house should be dark, her parents sound asleep in their bedroom. Without checking, she knew she wouldn't find them there.

As she approached the stairs, she felt a fury begin to burn inside her. This demon had possessed Adrien, was threatening his life (she refused to believe that he had already ended it), and now had invaded her home. She gripped her yo-yo so tightly that only its magical nature saved it from shattering in her grasp. She took a deep breath as she started down the steps, attempting to quell the rage threatening to overtake her ability to reason.

Only then did she hear it. The melodic chirp in a somewhat familiar tune. He was _whistling_ , some distorted version of the song from the park's carousel horses, giving the shop adorned with glass and mirrors the feel of a perverse funhouse as it slowly came into view through the open door below.

Ruin stood in the middle of the shop, both hands gripping his staff that extended vertically nearly to the ceiling, as he swayed back and forth to the eerie melody. Her parents stood rigidly against the wall, the display case that usually rested there notably absent, with their hands fastened tightly behind them. Ladybug was afraid to meet their eyes… scared that she would see their fear and be overcome herself.

"Ah, Marinette! So nice of you to join us!" Ruin dropped into an exaggerated bow, almost as Chat Noir would have done in greeting, before continuing. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to miss the show."

Hearing her name, Ladybug's eyes darted to her parents. He had just revealed her identity to them. _What would they think? Would they just give up all hope, knowing that their supposed savior was actually their clumsy, helpless daughter?_

Sabine and Tom were standing close enough together that their awkwardly bent arms touched, granting each other strength, but Marinette was surprised that this was the only sign of fear either of them displayed. Her enormous father was standing as tall as he could, his broad frame creating a very imposing silhouette that he had angled slightly in front of Sabine in a protective manner. Sabine's tiny stature was seething with such anger that she was nearly as intimidating as her husband, the expression on her face fierce and sharp enough draw blood. Neither of them seemed at all surprised that Ruin had just addressed Ladybug by their daughter's name.

"What did you do to him?" Sabine's voice was fiery and demanding. "Where is the _real_ Chat Noir?! You give him back!"

Tom's low growl of baritone came shortly after: "If you harm one hair on my wife or daughter, I swear to you I will tear you apart with my bare hands faster than your magic can destroy me."

Ladybug was more phased by their words than Ruin, who did not seem to react to them at all. She blinked at her parents in surprise. As Sabine continued to stare daggers at Ruin, Tom turned to his daughter and offered her a warm smile.

"It'll be OK. No matter what. I promised I'd always protect you, remember? I won't let Ladybug down!" His tone was just as unfaltering and encouraging as it had been on that day, years ago, when he promised Marinette that "Super Baker" would protect the city in Ladybug's stead if it came to it.

Ruin released a sinister laugh and shook his head. "Perhaps you don't understand the significance of your situation, Mr. Dupain. Shall I clarify it for you?"

With unbelievable speed, Ruin snatched his staff from its resting spot and spun it above him, connecting with the side of her father's head with a sickening crack before the large man had even registered what was happening. Sabine shrieked as her husband lurched sideways, landing hard on his bound shoulder, blood already flowing freely from his temple.

Ladybug screamed as she launched her yo-yo toward Ruin, attempting to entangle one of his arms, which was again churning with a dark power ensuring death to anything he touched. His right hand deflected the attack with a spin of his staff, as he waved the index finger of his left hand at her as if to scold her.

Marinette changed tactics, spinning her yo-yo in a tight circle to create a shield as she ran to position herself between Ruin and her parents.

"Come now Marinette, you know there is an easier way," Ruin chided her like a stubborn child. "Just hand over your miraculous, and I will leave your parents alone. Don't you see what your impudent resistance has already done to your poor father?"

It was true: her parents were in danger because of her. Still, Marinette vividly recalled the words of both Adrien and Tikki, warning her that Ruin would destroy indiscriminately even if she acquiesced to his demands. Furthermore, with _both_ miraculouses, his power would only grow, hastening the doom that he promised. No, it was her responsibility to protect the miraculous at all costs.

"I will _not_ make it easy for you! I know full well that if you obtain my miraculous, you'll use its power to destroy the whole world!" Ladybug hoped her words would serve as an explanation, an apology, to her parents for not complying with his demands in return for their safety.

Sabine chimed in from behind her in support. "My daughter will _never_ give up! You can threaten all you want, but she will always fight for what is right!"

Teetering on the brink of consciousness, Tom was forcing himself up again, determined to rejoin his wife and daughter to stand in opposition of this beast.

Marinette's heart filled with gratitude and respect for the amazing individuals she was lucky enough to call her parents.

"You _stupid_ humans…." Ruin's voice dropped from the patriarchal tone to a deep, hateful growl. "Your worthless world is mine to take, mine to destroy. Your entire existence is insignificant. You are _nothing_."

"Well then, here goes nothing!" Ladybug shouted as she attacked again. Twirling his staff like a baton, he deflected the yo-yo before it smashed into his face. Ladybug caught her weapon and quickly fired again, this time launching the yo-yo in an arc and aiming for his legs, but he caught the path of the yo-yo in his staff. With a few quick spins and a forceful yank, he pulled Ladybug by the arm holding the ensnared yo-yo, sending her face-first into the ground.

Sabine used this opportunity to race forward. Her arms still firmly tied behind her back, the best she could hope for was knocking their adversary off-balance, hopefully granting Ladybug, _her brave, beautiful daughter_ , some slight advantage. Ruin was far too quick for her, though, and was waiting to greet her approach with an extended arm, the open palm bubbling with dark magic.

Marinette watched in horror as her courageous but weaponless mother attacked their undefeatable enemy, rushing headlong into her own death rather than stand by and wait for it patiently. Marinette wanted to warn her, to mount some sort of offense, but from her position on the ground she was useless, watching the scene play out as if in slow motion.

Dazed though he was, Tom saw what was about to happen. Understanding that his daughter would be unable to intercept the attack meant for Sabine, Tom leapt forward, knocking the petite woman out danger and colliding with the swirling black threat.

Within the span of a second, the enormous figure of her father turned entirely ashen-gray and crumbled to dust, falling into a pile on the floor.

Ruin laughed haughtily as the imposing figure decayed to nothingness. "Well, that was foolish!" he mocked, before turning his attention again to Sabine.

With the shove, Sabine had lost her balance and stumbled to her knees. She did not have to look back to know what had happened. The expression of horror on her daughter's face confirmed her fears. Tom was gone. And she knew she was next. She caught her daughter's panicked eyes, and with a resolute expression secured on her face, mouthed a single word: _Fight._

Dark power rolling from his hands in waves, Ruin closed the distance between himself and the helpless Asian woman in a few steps. Placing a hand on her shoulder, her figure briefly resembled a stone statue before collapsing into dust.

"NOOOO!" Ladybug screeched as she watched the unyielding face of her mother fall away.

Ruin was still laughing as he ambled around the bakery, gently touching shelves, counters, and glassware one by one, gradually reducing the once-bright bakery into a growing pile of ash.

Ladybug felt detached, mechanical as she pushed herself to her feet and called for her lucky charm. Keeping her eyes locked on Ruin, she felt the familiar heft of the loathsome dagger land in her hands.

"It feels so good!" Ruin exclaimed, obliterating the cash register with a caress. " _This,_ this is my purpose!" The industrial-sized stand mixer disintegrated at his fingertips. "This is the power of a GOD!" Overcome with deific power, Ruin cackled maniacally.

Then his crazed eyes locked on hers, and Ladybug felt her breath catch with dread. _Adrien was right. This creature would not stop until there was nothing left_.

"You poor, wretched things… your absurd 'love' makes you weak. Him leaping into certain death, you paralyzed to inaction because you can't bear the thought of harming your _precious Chat_ , even though he's already gone! You are _pathetic,_ just like Adrien _._ And now you will die, just like him." Ruin spat the words as the churning black engulfing his hands grew.

Tikki watched the scene through Marinette's eyes with apprehension. She could take control of Marinette's body, making the decision for the girl and attacking Ruin herself. While logically the plan seemed solid, the goddess faltered in her resolve. She was not certain if she could bring herself to attack the creature that had once been Plagg. What if her power destroyed him? Besides, she could not risk losing Marinette. Even if she was victorious, she could not exist with the knowledge that her actions had ended the spirited, heroic girl she had grown to love. No, if Marinette was going down, they would go down together.

Ladybug gripped the dagger with determination. "You're wrong Ruin. Love does not make me weak, it gives me strength." Her voice was steel and sure. "And Adrien is _not_ gone, he's here, fighting with me. Because I love him, with every ounce of my soul…Even though you think you've defeated him, he is here, giving me the courage to do what I must. Rings and earrings be damned, his love… his will, his _heart_ , is what is truly miraculous!"

With an enraged roar, he leapt at her, both arms in front of him as he dove for her face. With decidedly Chat-like reflexes, she dropped to her knees, driving the dagger upward with all her strength.

Ruin's expression of villainous fury morphed to one of shock as the dagger plunged into his chest, catching him midair. Confusion took hold of him as the surging black power faded, and he tumbled to the ground.

Without hesitation, Ladybug grabbed his right hand and tore the ring from it, throwing it to the ground and stomping it under her foot. The black butterfly flitted out of the broken ring, looking completely unassuming, as if it had been just another akuma, just one of the hundreds of victims.

Resisting the urge to tear the damned thing to pieces, Ladybug caught the akuma with a flick of her yo-yo, releasing the white butterfly back into the world.

A wave of dark energy rippled over the crumpled figure of Ruin as she ran to him. Dropping to the ground beside him, Ladybug lifted his heavy torso into her lap.

Green orbs, accented with slightly elongated pupils, fluttered open to meet her eyes.

"Chat?! Oh god Adrien is it really you?!" Tears fell in twin streams as she clung to the wounded figure.

"Marinette…" Chat smiled at her weakly, his strength rapidly failing him. "You did it, you beat him! You've saved _everyone_!"

The distraught girl shook her head gruffly, sending tears flying. "Not everyone, Adrien. I—" her voice hitched as she choked back a sob. "You…" her hand shook as touched his warm, wet suit where the dagger still protruded from his chest.

Reaching up to clutch her unsteady hand in his, Chat shook his head. "Don't even think it Marinette. You did what you _had_ to do. And it's OK… more than OK, I am so, so proud of you."

She met his eyes again, her own blue pools overflowing with tears, and saw that he held no malice in them, no fear or disappointment…. Only love.

Feeling his energy fading away, he closed his eyes again. He was satisfied that the last thing he would see were those beautiful blue eyes, but truly wished that they had not been full of tears.

"I heard you, you know." He mumbled into the darkness. "When you told Ruin you loved me… I heard you. You gave me the strength I needed to hold on, to see you one last time."

As his consciousness slipped away, he didn't hear her repeat those three beautiful words, again and again, urgency mounting with each repetition… didn't hear her pleas for him to hold on.

"I needed to, to tell you… I love you too, Marinette…and I always will."

With those words, the disguise of Chat Noir fell away as his breathing slowed to a stop, leaving Marinette holding the deathly still form of Adrien Agreste.

Her hands visibly shaking, Marinette gently lowered him to the ground. Gripping the wretched dagger with both hands, she yanked it free of his chest. The crimson red bloom was more noticeable against the white shirt, and continued to grow slowly as it soaked away the last ounces of his life.

Vision obscured by tears, she stood on unstable legs.

 _Please please please please!_ Her actions were driven by one sole purpose, one last hope.

 _This has to work. He can't be gone. Please let this work. I can't lose him, I CAN'T! Please!_

Calling for her miraculous ladybug, the grief-stricken heroine threw the dagger into the air, where it exploded into a swirling apparition of black and red. The ribbons of magic whirled through the bakery, swooshing into her parents' bedroom to restore their sleeping figures, rushing to the streets of Paris to repair the devastation caused by their battle, but Marinette wasn't looking at any of this.

Her eyes were fixed on the unmoving body of her departed love.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Worry not, Chapter 12 is coming soon!  
_


	12. Adrien's fate

Chapter 12:

NOTE: M-rated content in this chapter.

( _Seriously, this whole chapter is basically one big M-fluff. Enjoy!)_

Marinette dropped her transformation as she fell to her knees again, wrapping her arms around Adrien's lifeless body and clutching him to her chest. Her small frame shook violently as she was overcome with sobs. She buried her face in his hair, desperate to etch his scent into her memory.

"You had to, Marinette. He was so proud of you. We both are. Ladybug- _you_ , you saved the whole world." Tikki, hovering beside Marinette, knew her words would likely fall on deaf ears, but she had to try to comfort the young girl who had accomplished the impossible. Marinette's reply was not unexpected… and Tikki could not hold her choice against her. She was proud of her chosen, and could not ask her for anything more.

"I'm done, Tikki. I can't do this anymore." Marinette continued to shake as she held on to her lost love, as if his physical presence was the only thing holding her together.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not… I'm not strong enough," she continued, her voice breaking as she felt her shattered heart fall to pieces. "I can't do this alone. I can't be Ladybug anymore. I quit." She collapsed in on herself, the last of her energy consumed, as her very will to live, let alone fight, faded away.

"…Over my dead body."

The words did not arise from beside her right ear, where the bug kwami had come to rest on her shoulder. The voice was not that of the tiny goddess; it was not melodic and comforting and gentle. It was low and deep, spoken with a trace of a lilt suggesting some private amusement.

The form in her arms began to quiver, unable to contain his light laughter at his own dark pun. Marinette gaped in shock, releasing her vice-like grip on him to look at him fully.

And there he was, looking at her as if nothing had happened. Adrien was sitting up, grinning at her with that stupid, cocky, half-smirk that revealed him as Chat Noir more than pointed black ears ever would, that annoying cheeky attitude that she _adored with every fiber of her being_. Without even thinking, she shoved him by the shoulder, knocking him back onto his elbows.

"That is _not_ funny, you silly cat!" Despite her words, she felt her face pull into a genuine smile, tears falling anew for a completely different reason. Tikki, relieved to see that Adrien was alive, flew off in search of Plagg, excited to be reunited with _her_ other half.

"Then why are you smiling?" He countered, sitting up again and pushing himself close to her.

She was suddenly aware of their proximity, and felt a warm blush rise in her cheeks. Out of habit, she looked down, attempting to hide her face from him.

"What's the matter, Princess? Chat got your tongue?" Adrien placed one finger under her chin, gently lifting upward to force her to meet his eyes. The beautiful emerald green was burning with a familiar fire, igniting a heat in her that caused her face to burn even more. Leaning in so close that he brushed her nose with his, his eyelids falling half-closed as he shifted his gaze to her lips, he purred the last words: "Can he?"

Her heart throbbed with happiness when he kissed her then. It was not the demanding, lustful kiss that they had shared before, but something soft and reassuring. He simply placed his lips gently against hers, as if to affirm that he was really there with her. She felt his hand tremble slightly as it left her chin, his fingertips softly tracing the angle of her jaw to the curve of her neck, the reverence in his touch revealing that, despite his levity, he was painfully aware that they had almost lost each other.

As she returned his tender kiss, her fingertips flitted down his chest, his crisp shirt revealing no trace of the gruesome stain that had dampened it moments before. Her nimble fingers deftly undid the buttons as they traveled, eager to touch him, to confirm that he was real, that he was _alive_. Within seconds she was rewarded for her efforts, and she rested both palms on his exposed chest. She felt the tension she hadn't realized she was holding on to melt away as she took in the warmth of his skin, the rise and fall of his breathing, and the strong, steady beat of his heart.

Adrien broke the kiss to meet her eyes again. It was his turn to feel a flush burn his face, surprised but not displeased that she had so quickly moved to undress him. As she stared at him, her expression divulged a combination of adoration, relief, and contentment.

While her clear blue eyes gazed at him with innocence, the feelings stirring within him for her were anything but. In the blink of an eye, he shrugged off his suit jacket and the unbuttoned shirt and wrapped his arms around her, one palm lying against the bare skin exposed by the low back of her dress and the other scooping around her hips, and pulled her into his bare chest. He leaned the side of his head into her temple and inhaled deeply, enjoying the way they fit together and taking in the scent of her hair.

Suddenly finding herself in the lap of a half-naked Adrien Agreste, Marinette's feelings of relief flipped instantly to something else. The adrenaline surging through her system intensified all of her emotions: first insurmountable grief at the loss of Adrien, which assuaged into a flood of relief and gratitude that he was OK. But now, his breath hot on her neck and muscles tensing under her fingertips, the rush of desire for him was so overwhelming it made her head spin. A sudden awareness of her sex consumed her as blood rushed to it, causing it to throb pleasurably and eliciting a small gasp from her.

Adrien felt something primal awaken in him when he heard Marinette sigh. He swore he could feel a pulse of heat from her body, and her scent was suddenly engulfing him. Something rumbled in his throat: a growl, a purr, a sigh of his own, he wasn't sure. He dove for her neck, licking and kissing with such intensity that he would almost certainly leave a mark.

She didn't care. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled at this back, trying to somehow bring him closer, as she kissed and nipped at his shoulder. She shifted her weight in his lap, the voluminous layers of her skirt providing an unwelcome barrier between them.

Simultaneously dissatisfied with their current position, the lovers broke contact only for a moment to stand. Standing at full height, Adrien was even more gorgeous than she remembered. His skin glistening in the subdued lighting filtering in from the street (the bakery was dark, as it should be in the middle of the night), the definition of his muscles accentuated by shadows, and those insanely green eyes dilated with desire, she thought for a moment that she might collapse at the sight of him.

Gazing at his beautiful partner, Adrien was lost in the depth of her eyes. He felt a rush in his groin as she broke eye contact to let her gaze travel down the length of his body. Her sharp inhale when her eyes met his unmistakable desire for her was not lost on him. The way her hair fell to frame her perfectly oval face, those beautiful wide eyes accentuated by long dark lashes, her rosy pink lips swollen from kissing him… he couldn't help but take her into his arms and kiss her senseless again.

Desperate to taste her, he opened his mouth to her, moaning with desire as she dipped her tongue into his mouth. Her hands were in his hair, scratching his scalp and causing a sensation that was absurdly pleasurable. Impulsively, he grabbed her by the hips and brought her to him without breaking the kiss, the contact sending a thrill through them both.

The throb between Marinette's legs had grown to the point of an ache, accompanied by a feeling almost like an itch, a _need_ to be touched, and the layers of material between them prevented her from achieving the relief she so fiercely desired. Releasing her hungry fingers from his now very tousled hair, she reached behind her back to unfasten the hook-and-eye and release the zipper securing her dress. His hands, already at her hips, eagerly aided her in removing the offending fabric. Having not worn a bra with the gown, she stood before him clad only in black silk panties, which she noticed with a tinge of embarrassment were slightly wet.

She pressed herself against him, claiming his mouth again. He reeled at the feeling of her soft breasts against his bare chest, trying to communicate with the kiss how wonderful she felt against him. Intent to bring her the pleasure he was enjoying, he reached a hand between her legs, caressing her through the silk of her panties.

Moaning with pleasure into his appetent mouth, Marinette instinctively arched her back, pressing against his roving fingers. _This_ is the touch she wanted, that she craved, and the contact felt _fantastic._ Responding to her, he hooked his fingers around the fabric, probing into her opening uninhibited by the barrier of the panties.

Her breath caught in her throat at this new sensation, a welcome invasion into her most private area. He paused, attempting to gauge her reaction. Emboldened by her lust for him, she responded to his hesitation by stroking his length softly through the fabric of his pants. Fascinated by the feel of it and her own daring, she grasped the base lightly before diverting her attention to the pants themselves, her fingers reaching for his belt.

He caught her hands as they reached for his pants, his voice rough with passion.

"Marinette, I…" he swallowed, having difficulty forming a coherent thought let alone words in his current state. "If you… God I want you so badly, I don't know if I can control myself if we… maybe we should stop." He didn't want to move too fast, to do anything she might regret.

She met his eyes with firm resolve, the wording of her reply mimicking his earlier pun: "Not on your life." Nearly losing him had reaffirmed what she had always known somewhere in her heart, something that had scared her initially but now made her feel fulfilled. She and Chat were meant to be together. They were two halves of a single whole, and nothing that brought them closer together could ever be wrong. "I want this, Adrien… my Chaton… I want _you_." Her statement was resolute, her certainty unquestionable.

As if to validate her words, she returned her attention to his belt. He watched her intently as she slowly, purposefully slipped the strip of leather through the securing loop and removed the metal tooth from its position, sliding the freed buckle over the smooth leather strap. Her deft fingers then addressed the clasp of his pants, releasing it and lowering the zipper with a languid slowness that threatened to drive him mad. He had never witnessed a more sensual act in his life, and he had seen his fair share of eroticism given his glamorous "show-biz" rearing.

Dragging her hands over his hips, she slipped the pants off of him. She let her eyes slide down his body, appreciating the deep V carved by his musculature that drew her attention to the large bulge contained by his black boxer briefs. She used her thumbs to trace the V shape down his abdomen, eliciting a twitch from his manhood and a stifled moan from the man himself.

Watching his beloved Marinette marvel at his body was more than Adrien could take, her curious touches driving him wild with need. He brought her gifted, tantalizing hands to his shoulders and, in one smooth motion, reached behind her and lifted her thighs so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Stepping free of their discarded clothing, he pinned her back to the wall, kissing the small indentation where her collarbones met. She let out a soft yelp as her back collided with the wall, which melted into a sigh he trailed kisses down her chest.

Taking advantage of her elevated position, she placed a kiss on his temple before taking his earlobe in her teeth, as he had done to her what seemed like an eternity ago. She flicked his earlobe with her tongue before sucking on it gently, earning her a low rumble of appreciation from him.

Not to be outshone, Adrien dipped his head away from her marvelous mouth, dragging the tip of his tongue over one of her perked nipples before taking it into his mouth and sucking gently. He caught it in his teeth without biting, swirling the tip of his tongue over the soft bud.

She gasped in response, driving her hips forward reflexively and causing a heavenly friction between them. They both groaned as the delicious agony tying knots in their nether-regions continued to build. As Marinette ground her hips against him again, the soft sounds of her pleasure just audible to his ears, Adrien didn't know how much longer he could last.

Suddenly Marinette found herself back on her own two feet, with Adrien trailing tickling-light kisses over her taut stomach as she ran her fingers through his golden hair again. Without warning, a new sensation threatened to take her legs out from under her, as his warm, wet tongue found the sensitive nub of flesh between her legs and began to tease it gently.

She cried out, fingers tightening in his hair, but he steadied her against the wall with a strong arm, as the other hand slid her panties over her perfectly formed legs and aided his access to her core. He gently licked the soft folds, then separated her inner lips with his fingers before plunging his tongue inside her, sucking softly as he explored her sex. Her hands fell to his shoulders to brace herself, unable to support her own weight, as she was swept up in the pleasure of him. Sensing she was nearing her peak, he focused his mouth on the swollen pink bud, replacing his tongue with his fingers to penetrate her, gently but insistently, matching the rhythm she had inadvertently begun thrusting her hips to.

Whimpering in ecstasy, Marinette felt herself explode with bliss as her walls rhythmically tightened around his fingers, as if she was trying to draw him into her. Her legs wavered as she attempted to remain upright, riding her climax as it shook her to the core.

Regaining herself, she urged him to stand, so that she could remove his underwear and undress him fully. As he stood, he caught her lips in a kiss again, and she detected traces of her own sweetness on his tongue. Sliding his underwear down his muscular legs and glancing at his exposed erection for the first time, she felt a flutter of nervousness. She wanted to show him the same pleasure he had given her, but she was horribly inexperienced in sexual matters. Crouching in front of him, she tentatively stroked the shaft of this unfamiliar part of him, causing it to twitch. She wrapped her delicate fingers around the heavily veined organ, surprised that something so firm could feel so soft. She brought the other hand to the head, again in awe of its velvety texture, before giving it a lick on a whim. His moan snapped her back to the reality of exactly where she was and what she was doing… and _to whom_ she was doing it. Glancing up, she saw that Adrien had braced a hand against the wall and was breathing heavily, his expression revealing a state of tortured bliss. Had she really had such an effect on him, on her unattainable Adrien, on the provocative Chat Noir? Without taking her eyes off his incredibly sexy face, she wrapped her lips around the head of his penis and sucked gently. He gasped, leaning heavily into his arm for support. She continued her experimentation, reaching her tongue out as far as she could and dragging it along his shaft until she reached the ridge where the shaft met the head, exploring the tiny shelf with the tip of her tongue while continuing to gently suck on the tip. This time he groaned her name loud enough for her to hear, and she felt his member pulse against her tongue as his legs threatened to give way.

Reaching out to his free hand, she urged him back down to the ground. Face-to-face, his green eyes were on fire, his beautiful features flushed, and he had broken out into a light sweat. His hands trembled as he cupped her precious face, kissing her blushed lips gently.

"God Marinette, do you know what you do to me?" he whispered the question as his emerald eyes seared into hers.

She smiled coyly, surprising herself as she channeled some of Chat's confidence into her reply: "No, but I know what I'm _about_ to do to you."

She positioned herself so that she was on her knees, straddling him. With one hand resting on his cheek to encourage him to keep his eyes on her (watching his face in ecstasy was better than any erotic fantasy she had _ever_ concocted), she reached the other hand down to grip him, and guided herself onto his length. As the head of his penis penetrated her, she shifted her weight instinctively to accept him, causing a wave of pleasure to crash through them both. He reached for her, providing some support for her weary legs. Releasing him from her grasp, she brought both hands to his face, and kissed him deeply.

Adrien had intended to let her dictate their lovemaking, afraid to go too fast, to be too insistent, to push too hard and cause her discomfort. However, as her tongue probed his mouth, instinct kicked in and he guided himself into her. When she gasped he froze, searching her face for any sign of pain or displeasure. What he saw was exactly the opposite: eyes fluttering closed, chin and chest held high, Marinette looked like a goddess in heaven. He began to move inside her, drawing soft sighs of contentment from his love as she met his steady rhythm. Dropping his lips to her shoulder, he placed several kisses there as she picked up the pace, rocking and grinding against him. Holding her by the hips again, he helped her bounce up and down as she thrust forward. They fell into a delicious rhythm of quick thrusts and slow withdraws, her nails digging into his back as she felt her climax build again. A strong pulse of his manhood buried deep inside her sent her careening over the edge, and as her sex squeezed him in orgasm he quickly followed, biting down a little too hard on her shoulder, the slight, sharp pain of his teeth only heightening her pleasure. Completely spent of energy, they collapsed together, he on his back and she onto his chest. They felt so wonderfully complete that they did not even bother to separate themselves, and instead basked in the private paradise that the two of them shared.

As their racing hearts and ragged breathing calmed, Adrien placed a hand on the cherished head that rested on his chest, as if to verify that she was not just a dream that would momentarily disappear.

"Princess," his voice was hesitant, as if he was frightened of breaking the wonderful spell he was caught up in. "…Will you be mine?" He knew he didn't deserve her, and good luck was not familiar to him. Marinette's love for him was difficult for him to believe, even when he had experienced it firsthand.

Snuggling into him, Marinette sighed happily. "Til death do us part," she mused aloud. When she recognized the significance of her phrasing, she winced outwardly, hoping she hadn't ruined the moment.

Chuckling lightly, Adrien nuzzled her hair, again reveling in her scent. She felt his lips graze her forehead as he softly replied, "Not even then, my love… not even death could steal me from you."

* * *

 _Author's note: AAAHHH you guys, your reviews are amazing! Seriously you make it so much fun to write :-3 My sincerest apologies for the stress of the last chapter's ending... hopefully this one was worth the wait! -Floof  
_

 _In answer to some of the guest reviews for this chapter (that I moderated because they contain massive plot spoilers!), I wanted to point out some details that are apparently too easy to miss. First, her parents: at the end of the last chapter, it states that her parents were restored to sleeping in their beds, where they were when everything went down. Next, also tucked into chapter 11, Adrien was present but "back seat" for the events of the story (similar to the kwamis' usual stance), and heard Marinette tell Ruin she loved him. Also, he remembers what went down because it was Plagg, not Adrien himself, that was akumatized. Lastly, the "Where's Plagg" question... is a mystery that will be answered in the next chapter. I'm glad poor Tikki isn't the only one who remembered him!_


	13. Lost

Chapter 13:

Leaving the two young lovers to enjoy each other's company, Tikki flew from the bakery in search of her own lost love. With endless cycles of re-awakenings and countless generations of chosen, Tikki had always had Plagg as a constant in her life. Since the beginning, the two were drawn to each other, as if their very existence relied on the other. They served as perfect compliments: while Tikki was light-hearted and carefree, Plagg was introspective and cynical. Tikki tended to wear her heart on her sleeve and cared deeply for each of her chosen, but Plagg was much more guarded and reserved. Still, like the yin and yang they were, the innermost aspects of the two kwamis belonged to the other. At her core, Tikki was contemplative and sincere, more of a maternal figure than the flighty child her easy smile and innocent demeanor projected. Similarly, Plagg held a deep affection for humanity and a gluttonous love of all things pleasurable. In truth, he so loved life that it was his suggestion to relinquish his power to protect it. Never in the eons of their shared existence had Tikki imagined life without him. Now, uncertain as to his whereabouts and sensing only her own fear, a void where Plagg's presence normally resided in her soul, Tikki was desperate to be reunited with the missing part of herself that the cat-god represented.

Leaving the storefront, Tikki flew into the kitchen, phasing directly through the large metal door of the walk-in freezer.

 _After a battle like that, the most likely place he'd go is wherever the cheese is!_ the tiny bug-god deduced with a smile.

Fumbling through the dark (as she lacked the gift of night vision bestowed upon her cat-like counterpart), she located the shelf storing the cheese collection. The entire supply sat undisturbed, all the containers sealed tight, wrappings secured, the blocks without tale-tell markings of tiny fanged nibbles.

No… Plagg was not here, and from the looks of it, he hadn't been.

Thinking quickly, Tikki darted through the wall of the freezer, through the walls of the building itself, and headed across town.

 _If he woke up confused, maybe he headed home!_

As the spotted bug-god darted through the city toward the Agreste mansion, she made no efforts to conceal herself, intent on finding Plagg and caring little for anything else. She may have resembled a small bird, or possibly the world's largest insect, but either way she was less concerned about the thoughts of a passer-by wandering the streets at night than she was for her missing partner.

The Agreste mansion was massive, but Tikki located Adrien's room without difficulty as she had been there many times before with Ladybug. Calling Plagg's name, she searched every drawer, turned over every pillow, and thoroughly raided Adrien's cheese-filled mini fridge, hoping to find the adorable pointy-eared figure tucked away somewhere, unaware of her mounting anxiety. When her search of Adrien's room turned up nothing, she similarly combed through the kitchen, including its multiple refrigerators, freezers, and pantries, to no avail.

Pausing for a moment, Tikki took a deep breath and tried to calm her increasingly frantic mind. Earlier that day, Plagg had called out to her for help, communicating his worry as clearly as words ever could despite the distance between them. Reaching through the unique bond they shared, she called out to him:

" _Plagg, where are you? Please, I need to know you're OK!"_

She expected him to reply to her unease with a sense of reassuring calm, or perhaps feigned annoyance, but she was met only with the increasingly familiar sense of emptiness.

Tikki thought back to the events of the night. _What am I missing? Where could he be?_

Remembering their first encounter with Ruin under the glow of lamplight in the streets of Paris, Tikki guessed that Adrien may not have returned home after the dance. _If the akuma attacked them in the streets somewhere, could Plagg have materialized at that spot when the akuma was cleansed?_

Although it would be unsual, Tikki worried that if this was the case, Plagg might be disoriented and confused. Without Adrien there to explain, he might have no memories of the events of the night, suddenly finding himself alone, outside, in the dead of night. Focusing on Plagg, trying desperately to feel some indication of his presence, Tikki shot out into the night.

* * *

It was nearly 3:30 am by the time the exhausted kwami returned, alone, to the bakery. Despite hours of searching, she found no trace of Plagg, no inkling of his presence, no flicker of his previously omnipresent companionship in her heart. Tikki was too tired to even contemplate that he might actually be gone. As she entered the shop, she noted that Adrien and Marinette must have gone upstairs at some point, as the bakery was entirely empty. There was no indication that anything had happened there that evening, everything was right where it should be. Everything except…

As she floated languidly through the room toward the stairs, a glimmer of light caught her eye. Something small, laying forgotten in the middle of the tile floor, drew her attention. As she moved to retrieve it, it took her a moment to recognize the silver band of the cat miraculous, cracked and distorted from being stomped underfoot. Tenderly, as if cradling an injured child, she scooped up the ring in her tiny paws.

 _It hadn't been restored by the Miraculous Ladybug._

As she absent-mindedly made her way up the stairs to Marinette's bedroom, understanding dawned on her slowly, with a crushing weight that dulled her senses.

 _The akuma had been swept up into the miraculous. Nothing besides the kwamis can reside within the miraculous, or the intrusion would interfere with its powers._

Unbeknownst to Tikki, Plagg had explained the concept to Adrien several years prior during an incident with a certain gold bracelet.

 _Not only that, but the miraculous is not intended for evil purposes. If something evil was brought into the miraculous, the result would be… corruption. The very nature of the miraculous would be defiled._

Unfortunately, Tikki was well-aware that the power of creation wielded by Ladybug could not best the powers of destruction, tainted or not. They were equal, by definition, and one could not alter the other.

Crawling into the tiny bed made just for her, Tikki clung to the bent, broken metal as if it was the companion she so fiercely missed. As the deep sleep spawned of sheer exhaustion took hold of her, Tikki was consumed with a single, harrowing thought.

 _The cat miraculous was lost._

* * *

The next morning, Marinette was awoken by the feeling of a tiny hands insistently poking at her face.

"Noooooooo Tikki," Marinette groaned. Normally, she was thankful for her "secondary alarm clock," or she would frequently be far more than a few minutes late to class… but not today. School can wait. She had been having the most wonderful dream, that she and Adrien had confessed their love for each other, and that he _wanted_ her, in a very physical way. She had dreamt that he eagerly fulfilled her every lustful fantasy, and it had been _incredible_. Squeezing her eyes shut tighter and pulling her enormous cat pillow closer into herself, she willed the dream to return.

To her surprise, the cat pillow moaned groggily and pulled her closer to him in turn.

Her eyes flashed open to meet the still sleeping and ferociously handsome face of Adrien, only inches from her own, as it bent toward her neck to nuzzle her softly.

 _Holy shit._

Her face burned with all the fiery fury of hell as her heart hammered away in her chest, the events of the previous night flooding through her slowly awakening brain.

 _Holy hell that had actually happened. Holy fucking shit, she had actually… THEY had actually…!_

The breath she hadn't realized she had been holding escaped her in a strangled squeak.

"Marinette, _please_ , we have a serious problem!" The urgency in her kwami's harsh whisper convinced Marinette to tear her eyes from the face of the gorgeous man beside her. Trying not to wake him, she rolled to her other side to address her small red companion.

Marinette was surprised to see pain and fear in her large purple eyes, and was instantly concerned. She sat bolt upright, reaching for her visibly trembling kwami in an attempt to provide comfort.

"Oh Tikki, what's wrong? What happened?!" Marinette's mind raced. Hadn't the Miraculous Ladybug worked? Sure, she didn't check to make sure that _everything_ was back the way it had been, distracted as she was, but the magic had restored the bakery, and _Adrien_ , so… it _must_ have worked. Right?

The bug-god landed in her chosen's outstretched palm, still clutching the broken ring, and sobbed outright. "It's PLAGG Mari! I can't find him, I can't feel him… he's-!"

Awoken by Marinette's sudden movement, Adrien had sat up behind Marinette, and was now listening intently to the ladybug kwami's mournful lament. His mouth dropped open in surprise at her words. _Plagg was missing?!_ Before he could say anything, though, the tiny god's facial expression changed abruptly.

Her grief-stricken features were instantly replaced by a visage of surprise. Eyes wide with wonder, Tikki yelped and launched herself straight into the air, dropping the ring onto the ground and reeling to face the wall. The attention of all three was drawn to the pile of their discarded clothes from the night before, piled up against the opposite wall of Marinette's bedroom in favor of much more comfortable sleeping attire. To their amazement, the heap began to rustle.

With an ecstatic squeal, Tikki dove into the pile, causing even more commotion in the haphazard jumble of fabric, until the pile erupted with joyous, high-pitched laughter that could only be coming from a certain tiny bug-god, accompanied by the unmistakable groans of her feline counterpart.

Leaping to their feet, Marinette and Adrien both ran to the pile, dropping to their knees and digging through the heap until they came upon Adrien's suit jacket from the night before. There, in the inner pocket that had once held a pale pink orchid, Tikki was relentlessly snuggling a very confused but not altogether unhappy-looking Plagg.

"Where _were_ you! I was so worried!" Tikki urged the cat-god from his hiding spot, pulling him happily into the air and spinning him around several times in delight.

Plagg blinked a few times in confusion. "I… I don't really remember?" He met the bright, violet gaze of his eternal love and smiled a sheepish grin, one pointed tooth coming into view. "I was with the kid, and he wasn't doin' so good, and then…"

Plagg's grin dropped as he remembered. "Then the akuma! It was coming, and I didn't know what to do… I called for you, but there wasn't enough time, so I… I…?" Plagg stared at the waiting faces of Tikki, Marinette, and Adrien, one-by-one, but his own mind was a blank. "Then I remember waking up, dizzy and exhausted and _starving_. I didn't know where I was or what was going on, so I hid in the kid's jacket pocket, like he always tells me to. I guess I fell asleep or something… "

His captivated audience was grinning at him now. Their faces held something besides happiness or interest in his story, though. Was it… relief?

"… I'm still hungry, by the way," he concluded with a smirk. "Got any camembert?"

With another delighted yelp, the little bug-god tackled the stunned black kwami, sending the two of them tumbling through the air.

Wrapping an arm around the petite girl beside him, Adrien pulled Marinette into his side for a quick hug.

Gazing into his piercing green eyes, so full of love for her, Marinette swallowed a lump in her throat. Reluctant to ruin the moment, she needed to say the words weighing heavily on her mind.

"Adrien… I'm so, so sorry for causing you so much pain. I was so focused on myself… I never considered that your feelings might be hurt." Her words were quiet but sincere.

His eyes momentarily read of confusion and surprise before softening again. "Oh…oh Marinette, it's OK, it's not your fault. I should have just given you time to process the whole… situation. Everything happened so fast…" his voice trailed off as he mentally replayed the last 48 hours. "Speaking of," he continued, remembering a detail that he still hadn't deciphered. "When did you figure out who I was under the mask?"

She blushed at this, breaking eye contact to stare at her hands as she wrung them together. "Uh… um… I didn't, actually, until you showed me." She bit her bottom lip, waiting for the question she knew would come.

"Wait, you mean… after I kissed you as Chat?" confusion overtook his features again as he struggled to connect the dots. "But… you called me Adrien!"

"…yeah…by accident…" she mumbled, her blush deepening. As silence stretched on, she continued. "I was… excited, and I, umm… "

Suddenly he erupted with laughter, startling her out of her embarrassment.

"I can't…" he laughed again. "I was so worried that you—" more laughter. "This whole time I thought you didn't like me!" Tears came to his eyes as he clutched his stomach, struggling for breath.

She couldn't help but smile, seeing him so happy. "Ohh no, quite the opposite, I assure you!"

Calming to a light chuckle, he pulled her into a hug, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "Well, for the record," he grinned, "I like you too!"

"Umm…" Tikki's voice interrupted their light-hearted exchange, causing Marinette and Adrien to turn to find Tikki and Plagg floating side-by-side. "There's still _one_ little problem…"

Tikki sent a purposeful glance toward the floor, where the broken silver band still lay.


	14. Miraculous

Chapter 14:

Marinette reached out and picked up the distorted silver ring, examining it carefully. "It's… broken."

Adrien's attention turned to Plagg, his eyebrows pulling together with concern. "So, does that mean…? Am I not….?"

Plagg shrugged with his usual nonchalance. "I'm still here, aren't I? If I didn't have a host, I'd be back in stasis. There must be a secondary miraculous or something." The cat-god reclined in midair, as if to ascertain his self-assuredness.

Tikki glanced between Plagg and his chosen with interest. This was certainly a new situation, and she didn't know what to make of it either. She wondered…

"Maybe give it a shot, Adrien?" she suggested meekly.

Plagg's attention piqued at this, and he sat up. In truth, he wasn't certain that the kid could transform. He still felt connected to the young man, just as he had when he was his chosen, but without the ring…

Glancing at the broken ring in Marinette's open palm, Adrien stood from the floor and took a few steps away from his beautiful partner. _They were still partners, right?_ Staring at his empty fingers as he turned his hands palm-up, then palm down, he shrugged. "What do you say, Plagg?" Adrien felt awkward standing in the middle of the small room, unsure of what to do with his hands, as he caught the eyes of his kwami. With a quizzical perk of his eyebrow, he questioned: "Claws out?"

Tikki and Marinette watching in astonishment as the cat-god swirled through the air toward Adrien before plunging directly into his chest. Adrien's hands flew to his chest in surprise, clutching together in front of his heart, his eyelids falling shut as if in prayer. A beat passed. Then, in a pulse of green, the form of Adrien flashed, his borrowed t-shirt replaced with the familiar black leather of Chat Noir. His arms fell gracefully to his sides as the green energy spread down his extremities, covering his skin in black leather and tipping his fingers with sharp claws that shone like polished obsidian. Marinette, with her natural eye for detail, noted that his suit had changed somewhat. For one, the oversized bell was missing from around his neck, replaced by an open belted collar resembling what might be seen on a leather biker jacket. Also, the familiar seams tracing his muscular shoulders now continued onto his chest where they were met with two more seams running in parallel, the three lines angling diagonally toward his sternum, resembling scratch marks raking across his chest.

Adrien's eyes flashed open, his emerald irises replaced by Chat's luminescent, lime-green sclera. His mask spread across his face, materializing first at the bridge of his nose and expanding outward. As it completed, he winked at Marinette, his lopsided grin revealing the sharp point of an exaggerated canine.

Running his hands through this disheveled blond hair, two black peaks popped up from under his hands, while a long belted tail simultaneously unfurled behind him. Completing the transformation, Adrien blinked in surprise, as he and Marinette said in unison: "…. Whoa."

Marinette took a few steps toward him, closing the gap between them. "Chat, you're… different." Her eyes were wide with awe.

He took a deep breath, shuddering slightly. "I _feel_ different. Stronger _._ A _lot_ stronger. Like… all my senses are in overdrive." He was staring at his hands again, as he balled them into fists and released them. "I can hear the water rushing through the pipes. I can smell the bread baking downstairs. I can _feel_ …" He glanced up, catching her stare. "I can feel… the heat of your body…" His released a shaky breath, trying to process all the new sensations that relentlessly bombarded him. _What would it feel like to kiss her like this? To touch her? For_ her _to touch_ him _?_ Even the thought was overwhelming.

She smiled widely, reaching a hand toward him. "That's not all that's different!" As her fingertips brushed one of the cat ears, it flicked reflexively. He gasped in surprise, both ears perking up and angling forward in full attention. No longer the leather triangles they were, these ears we soft and warm, covered with a fine black fur, and emerged directly from his head. She stroked one timidly, fascinated.

He blushed, for some reason feeling that her touching his ears was an intensively intimate act. Her hand dropping to his head, she scratched lightly around the base of the ear, causing a deep rumble to pick up in his chest.

She giggled at his purr, causing his blush to deepen.

"S-Sorry…" he stammered. "That's… uhh… new."

" _Ugh gross, don't make me part of your lovey-dovey flirtations!"_ Plagg's voice echoed in Adrien's head, clear as can be.

"Plagg?!" Adrien glanced around the room. _But how can he be here while I'm Chat?_

Marinette and Tikki exchanged confused looks.

" _You can hear me?"_ Plagg sounded just as surprised to Adrien as he himself felt.

"Yes! We can _talk_ when I'm transformed?" Adrien posed the question to the air.

Tikki's eyes widened. "Adrien, are you…. Are you talking to _Plagg?_ "

Marinette gasped as Adrien grinned.

Tikki mulled the situation over in her head, trying to make sense of it all. Something tickled at the edge of her memory. A piece of the puzzle was missing, some key to unlock the mystery of the whole situation. Suddenly, Marinette's voice from the night before whispered in her head: " _Rings and earrings be damned, his love, his will, his heart…"_ The little red kwami's eyes shown with excitement. _That's it!_

"I think I understand what's happening!" the bug-god exclaimed.

"Well at least someone does!" both (or to Adrien, all three) voices replied.

Tikki smiled mischievously, teasing them with hints of some secret knowledge that she would not fully reveal. "It's because the new miraculous connects you and Plagg… more closely than before." Turning to her chosen with a knowing grin, she added, "Marinette, I think you should transform too."

Marinette had no idea where she was going with this, but she had learned (after staring at an Egyptian parchment for almost an hour with no hints beyond encouraging nods) that when her kwami was being cryptic, it was best to just do what she said. She shrugged. "Ok…? Tikki, spots on!"

After Tikki swirled into her earrings, Marinette's transformation went off without a hitch, the red spotted suit engulfing her form with a flash of pink. She didn't notice Chat wince slightly as her transformation pulled at him, draining some of his energy away.

Fully transformed, Marinette blinked. She _did_ feel different. She felt a power surging through her, pulsing and crackling, as if itching to be released. Glancing down at her suit, she was somewhat disappointed that her costume looked the same.

Catching Chat's gaze, his eyes were wide with astonishment.

"Mari…" his voice was buzzing with excitement. "Ladybug, you… you have _wings!_ "

Sure enough, hanging from her shoulders like a gossamer cape, two large, silvery, translucent wings graced her back, extending to just below her hips. _OK, so her costume wasn't_ exactly _the same!_

She lifted an arm, peering around her side, while simultaneously the wings raised, stretching wide with a slightly upward angle.

Chat was frozen in his spot, gaping at her. "Can you…. _fly?_ "

As naturally as taking a step, Ladybug set her wings into a hum of activity. She lifted herself a few feet off the ground, suspending herself in midair.

Chat leapt into the air. "YOU CAN _FLY!_ " He laughed giddily, overcome with amazement.

Lowering herself gently to the ground, Ladybug reached her right hand to her hip for her yo-yo, only to find it missing.

"My yo-yo is gone!" She exclaimed, tension mounting. "How am I supposed to fight in this form without my yo-yo?" She felt the unfamiliar power surge again, seeking release. _But what am I supposed to_ do _with it?_ she pondered.

Stepping toward her and taking her hands in his, Chat lifted both of her hands into view. Her left hand, still balled into a fist around the destroyed miraculous, was glowing softly. "Maybe you're not supposed to fight…" he posited, as he gently urged her fingers open.

There, resting in her palm, was the miraculous of Chat Noir, perfectly restored and shining as if freshly polished.

Marinette released her transformation in shock, the peculiar energy rushing from her like a crashing wave that was now receding from the shore, leaving her feeling a bit dazed. She stared at the ring in her hands as if it was an illusion that would vanish with her transformation. It did not. Emerging from her earrings, Tikki giggled lightly at her bewilderment.

Chat reached for the familiar ring, turning it over in his hands, puzzled.

" _It's back. It's back to normal, I can feel it. You can go back to the old Chat Noir, if you prefer."_ Plagg offered from inside his head.

"But…." Chat began.

"….how?" Marinette finished his thought.

With a wide smile, Tikki hugged the cheek of her chosen with affection. "Oh Marinette, don't you see? The powers of destruction and creation, the ability to remake the world and everything in it… This is the combined power of the Ladybug and Chat miraculouses! The earrings of the Ladybug, and the heart of Chat Noir… they both belong to you."

* * *

 _Author's Note: Well friends, that's a wrap! I really can't thank you all enough for reading, favoriting, following, and especially the reviews! Your feedback and encouragement makes writing so much fun, I never expected this little endeavor to be so enjoyable! I may just write a sequel exploring the powers of LadyNoir 2.0, if there's interest_ :) _I truly hope you enjoyed the story, and THANK YOU again for reading! -Floof_


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